Source and Strategy of Iron Uptake by Rice Grown in Flooded and Drained Soils: Insights from Fe Isotope Fractionation and Gene Expression

Abstract

Rice can simultaneously absorb Fe²⁺ via a strategy I-like system and Fe(III)-phytosiderophore via strategy II from soil. Still, it remains unclear which strategy and source of Fe dominate under distinct water conditions. An isotope signature combined with gene expression was employed to evaluate Fe uptake and transport in a soil-rice system under flooded and drained conditions. Rice of flooded treatment revealed a similar δ⁵⁶Fe value to that of soils (Δ⁵⁶Fe_rice-soil = 0.05‰), while that of drained treatment was lighter than that of the soils (Δ⁵⁶Fe_rice-soil = -0.41‰). Calculations indicated that 70.4% of Fe in rice was from Fe plaque under flooded conditions, while Fe was predominantly from soil solution under drained conditions. Up-regulated expression of <i>OsNAAT1</i>, <i>OsTOM2</i>, and <i>OsYSL15</i> was observed in the root of flooded treatment, while higher expression of <i>OsIRT1</i> was observed in the drained treatment. These isotopic and genetic results suggested that the Fe(III)-DMA uptake from Fe plaque and Fe²⁺ uptake from soil solution dominated under flooded and drained conditions, respectively.