Evaluation of FE-heme Applications or Intercropping for Preventing Iron Deficiency in Blueberry

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to study the effectiveness and physiological implications of sustainable strategies to correct Fe chlorosis in blueberries, based on Fe-heme applications or intercropping with graminaceous species. The experiment was conducted in a blueberry orchard established on a sub-alkaline soil. The Fe-heme applications increased shoot length without increasing the leaf chlorophyll concentration, gaseous exchange, and fruit yield components in comparison with control plants. On the other hand, intercropping with graminaceous species increased the leaf chlorophyll concentration, photosynthetic activity, and fruit yield, with similar effectiveness to the Fe-EDDHA treatment. However, this management technique reduced the shoot length and leaf N, P, and K concentrations in the plants. The results obtained highlight the potential of intercropping with graminaceous species as a sustainable management technique to correct Fe chlorosis in blueberry. Further studies will need to select new graminaceous species characterized by low nutrient requirements in order to optimize the effectiveness of this management technique.

Sustainable Strategies to Prevent Iron Deficiency, Improve Yield and Berry Composition in Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

“…In fact, it is well known that the Fe status of plants is closely linked to the photosynthetic capacity of leaves ( Briat et al, 2007 ), and in citrus, Fe deficiency induced reductions in the carbon status of plants, increasing the early fruit fall ( Gómez-Cadenas et al, 2000 ). In our study, a lower leaf net photosynthesis during the season was registered, precisely, in control and Fe-heme plants in comparison with those treated with Fe-EDDHA and intercropping with grasses ( Michel et al, 2019 ). Likewise, the effect of Fe nutrition on the carbon availability within the plant could contribute to explain the higher pulp fraction in relation to the skin in berries collected from plants with a better Fe status, such as those treated with Fe-EDDHA and intercropped with graminaceous, as well as the higher yield in plants associated with F. rubra than the control plants.…”

“…Even though investigations have been conducted on the effect of alternative and more sustainable management techniques for Fe correction in calcareous soils in blueberry productive and vegetative variables ( Michel et al, 2019 ), the impact on the berry composition is lacking. Indeed, the use of animal blood-derived compounds and/or intercropping with graminaceous species implies the modification of soil nutrition properties related to nitrogen (N) availability, eventual phytoalexins, or simply modification of the competition for light, water and nutrients with eventual impacts on the fruit yield and metabolism ( Michel et al, 2019 ). Accordingly, the present study is focused to evaluate the effect of Fe-heme applications or intercropping with graminaceous species on productive and berry quality variables in blueberry cv.…”

Can Bicarbonate Enhance the Performance of Carob Seedlings Grown in Nutrient Solutions with Different Fe Concentrations?

“…Fe deficiency normally enhanced the expression of several genes, such as the ferric reductase oxidase (FRO), HA and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), which encodes an increase of the activity of the corresponding enzymes, which may be regarded as an adaptive mechanism to Fe starvation (Michel et al 2019;Martínez-Cuenca et al 2013). Furthermore, other genes might also be involved.…”

Foliar Application of Humic-Stabilized Nanoferrihydrite Resulted in an Increase in the Content of Iron in Wheat Leaves

“…This is due to the lag period in the plants' response to the iron supply. The increase in the soil plant analysis development (SPAD) values related to chlorophyll content only begins 4-5 days after treatment [70], and in general, ten days are believed to be enough to see the re-greening of Fe-deficient plants after Fe foliar fertilization [71]. This is why the obtained data do not provide definite confirmation of the participation of the up taken iron in the relevant physiological processes.…”