Iron Translocation in Two Grain Concentration Contrasting Rice (Oryza Sativa L. Indica) Genotypes

Iron (Fe) distribution in plant of a high Fe concentration genotype IR68144 and a low one IR64 was compared. In experiment I, Fe supply was stopped at the fourth leaf stage for 30d, and the results showed that 6.37 mu g Fe/plant in older leaves and 5.5 mu g Fe/plant in leaf sheath were retranslocated into newly growing leaves and tillers in IR68144, which was 1.9 and 3.4times of those in IR64. In experiment II, plants were treated with three different Fe levels to anthesis and then stopping Fe supply until full mature; the results showed that total Fe uptake of both genotypes increased with Fe treated levels, but Fe concentration in brown rice did not. After stopping Fe supply, more Fe was moved out from flag leaf into newly growing organs in IR68144. Those results indicated IR68144 has a greater ability to reutilize Fe from source tissues than IR64.