The Effect of Various Sources of Iron on the Nitrate Accumulation in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MSc. Student, Department of Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Assistant professor, Department of Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

3 Department of Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

High nitrate concentrations, especially in leafy vegetables, is a great threat to human health. Various factors play a role in reducing nitrate accumulation in vegetables, one of which is the availability of iron. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of different sources of iron on the accumulation of nitrate in lettuce in hydroponic system. Therefore, the experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replications. Treatments included different sources of iron including iron sulfate, iron chelate (Fe-EDTA) and iron amino chelate with the same iron concentration of 20 μM. An iron free solution was also considered as control. The results showed that iron amino chelate application increased root dry weight (138%), shoot dry weight (59%), stomatal conductance (80%), photosynthesis rate (107%), chlorophyll content (91%), Fv/Fm (60%) and iron concentration of shoots (113%) as compared to the control. Also, iron amino chelate increased the activity of nitrate reductase (168%), nitrite reductase (33%) and glutamine synthetase (67%) enzymes compared to the control. Application of iron amino chelate, iron chelate and iron sulfate reduced the nitrate concentration by 55%, 11% and 18% compared to control, respectively. Generally, the results showed that the application of iron amino chelate reduced nitrate accumulation by increasing the activity of enzymes involved in nitrate metabolism. According to the results, iron amino chelate can be used to reduce nitrate concentration and increase lettuce yield in hydroponic cultivation.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Amaliotis, D., Velemis, D., Bladenopoulou, S., and Karapetsas, N. (2002). Leaf nutrient levels of strawberries in relation to crop yield. Acta Horticulturae, 567: 447-450.
Amin, A.A., Gharib, A.E.F., El-Awadia, M., and Rashad, E.S.M. (2011). Physiological response of onion plants to foliar application of putrescine and glutamine. Scientia Horticulturae, 129: 353-360.
Borlotti, A., Vigani, G., and Zocchi, G. (2012). Iron deficiency affects nitrogen metabolism in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants. BMC Plant Biology, 12: 189.
Bian, Z.H., Cheng, R.F., Yang, Q.C., Wang, J., and Lu, C.G. (2016). Continuous light from red, blue, and green light-emitting diodes reduces nitrate content and enhances phytochemical concentrations and antioxidant capacity in lettuce. Journal of American Society for Horticultural Science, 141: 186–195.
Campbell, W.H. (1999). Nitrate reductase structure, function and regulation: Bridging the Gap between Biochemistry and Physiology. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology, 50: 277-303. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.277.
Chen, B.M., Wang, Z.H., Li, S.X., Song, H.X., and Wang, X.N. (2004). Effects of nitrate supply on plant growth, nitrate accumulation, metabolic nitrate concentration and nitrate reductase activity in three leafy vegetables. Plant Science, 167: 635-643.
Chung, S.Y., Kim, J., Kim, M., Hong, M.K., Lee, J.O., and Song, I.S. (2003). Survey of nitrate and nitrite contents grown in Korea. Food Additives and Contaminants, 20: 621-628.
Dejon, C.W., and Stekbaut, W. (1995). Nitrate in food commodities vegetable origin and the total diet in Belgium, Ghent University. Faculties Bio-Ingenious Wetenschappen (FLTBW) 15: 625-631.
Dordas, C.A., and Sioulas, C. (2008). Safflower yield, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis, and water use efficiency response to nitrogen fertilization under rainfed conditions. Industrial Crops and Products, 27: 75-85.
Ertani, A., Cavani, L., Pizzeghello, D., Brandellero, E., Altissimo, A., and Ciavatta, C. (2009). Biostimulant activity of two protein hydrolyzates in the growth and nitrogen metabolism of maize seedlings. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 172: 237-244. doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200800174.
Franco, J.A., Banon, S., and Madrid, R. (1994). Effects of a protein hydrolysate applied by fertigation on the effectiveness of calcium as a corrector of blossom-end rot in tomato cultivated under saline conditions. Scientia Horticulturae, 57: 283-292.
Ghasemi, S., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A. H., Hadadzadeh, H., and Jafari, M. (2012). Synthesis of iron-amino acid chelates and evaluation of their efficacy as iron source and growth stimulator for tomato in nutrient solution culture. The Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 31: 498-508.
Ghasemi, S., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A.H., Afyuni, M., and Hadadzadeh, H. (2013). The effectiveness of foliar applications of synthesized zinc-amino acid chelates in comparison with zinc sulfate to increase yield and grain nutritional quality of wheat. European Journal of Agronomy, 45: 68-74.
Hulsebosch, R.J., Hoff, A.J., and Shuvalov, V.A. (1996). Influence of KF, DCMU and removal of Ca2+ on the lightspin EPR signal of the cytochrome b-559 Fe(III) ligated by OH- in chloroplasts. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1277: 103-106.
Jie, M., Raza, W., Chun, Xu, Y., and Shen, Q. R. (2008). Preparation and optimization of amino acid chelated micronutrient fertilizer by hydrolyzation of chicken waste feathers and the effects on growth of rice. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 31: 571-582.
Kaiser, J.J., and Lewis, O.A.M. (1984). Nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activity in leaves and roots of nitrate-fed Helianthus annuus L. Plant and Soil, 70: 127–130.
Kholdebarin, B., and Eslamzadeh, T. (2005). Mineral nutrition of higher plants. Shiraz University press, Issue 1, pp 494.
Liu, C.W., Sung Y., Chen B.C., and Lai H.Y. (2014). Effects of nitrogen fertilizers on the growth and nitrate content of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). International Journal of Eenvironmental Research and Public Health, 11: 4427-4440.
Lindsay, W.L. (1972). Zinc in soils and plant nutrition. Advances in Agronomy, 24: 147–186.
Marschner, H. (1995). Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plant. 2nd Ed. Academic Press, New York.
Mobini, M., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A.H., and Ghasemi, S. (2014). The effect of partial replacement of nitrate with arginine, histidine, and a mixture of amino acids extracted from blood powder on yield and nitrate accumulation in onion bulb. Scientia Horticulturae, 176: 232-237.
Porra, R.J., Thompson, W.A., and Kriedemann, P.E. (1989). Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophyll a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biochimica Biophysica Acta, 975: 384–394.
Pourreza, J. (2016). Evaluating the wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield loss caused by wild oat (Avena fatua) interference at Nitrogen Different Levels. The Plant Production (Scientific Journal of Agriculture), 40: 41-52.
Rafie, M., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A., Shariatmadari, H., Darabi, A., and Dalir, N. (2017). Influence of foliar-applied Zn in the form of mineral and complexed with amino acids on yield and nutritional quality of onion under field conditions. Scientia Horticulturae, 216: 160-168.
Rodríguez‐Lucena, P., Hernández‐Apaolaza, L., and Lucena, J.J. (2010). Comparison of iron chelates and complexes supplied as foliar sprays and in nutrient solution to correct iron chlorosis of soybean. Journal of plant nutrition and soil science, 173: 120-126. doi:10.1002/jpln.200800256.
Santamaria, P. (2006). Nitrate in vegetables: toxicity, content, intake and EC regulation. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 86: 10–17.
Said-Al Ahl, H.A.H., and Mahmoud, A. (2009). Effect of spraying with zinc and/or iron on growth and chemical composition of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) harvested at three stages of development. Journal of Medicinal Food, 3: 97-111.
Singh J.P. 1988. A rapid method for determination of nitrate in soil and plant extracts. Plant and Soil, 110: 137-139.
Souri, M. (2016). Aminochelate fertilizers: the new approach to the old problem; a review. Open Agriculture, 1: 118-123. doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2016-0016.
Souri, M.K. Naiji, M., and Aslani, M. (2018). Effect of Fe-Glycine Aminochelate on Pod Quality and Iron Concentrations of Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Under Lime Soil Conditions. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 49:2, 215-224, DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2017.1421655.
Souri, M.K., and Aslani, M. (2018). Beneficial effects of foliar application of organic chelate fertilizers on French bean production under field conditions in a calcareous soil. Advances in Horticultural Science, 32: 265- 272.
Souri, M.K., and Hatamian, M. (2019). Aminochelates in plant nutrition: a review, Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42:1, 67-78, DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2018.1549671.
Stewart G.R., Lee, J.A., and Orebamjo, T.O. (1972). Nitrogen metabolism of halophyte: Nitrate reductase activity and utilization. New Phytologist, 72: 539-546.
Timmermans, K.R., Stolte, W., and de Baar, H.J.W. (1994). Iron-mediated effects on nitrate reductase in marine phytoplankton.  Marine Biology, 121: 389–396. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346749.
Thon, M., Maretzki, A., Korner, E., and Soki, W.S. (1981). Nutrient uptake and accumulation by sugar cane cell culture in relation to growth cycle. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 1: 3-14.
Tsay, Y.F., Chiu, C.C., and Tsai, C.B. (2007). Nitrate transporters and peptide transporters. FEBS Letters, 581: 2290–2300.
Vidmar, J.J., Zhuo, D., Siddiqi, M.Y., Schjoerring, J.K., Touraine, B., and Glass, A.D. (2000). Regulation of high-affinity nitrate transporter genes and high-affinity nitrateinflux by nitrogen pools in roots of barley. Plant Physiology, 123: 307–318.
Wenke, L., Lianfeng, D., and Qichang, Y. (2009). Biogas slurry added amino acids decreasednitrate concentrations of lettuce in sand culture. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, 59: 260–264.
Zanin, L., Zamboni, A., Monte, R., Tomasi, N., Varanini, Z., Cesco, S., and Pinton R. (2015). Transcriptomic analysis highlights reciprocal interactions of urea and nitrate for nitrogen acquisition by maize roots. Plant and Cell Physiology, 56 (3): 532–48.