Influence of Water Deficit on Iron and Zinc Uptake by Matricaria chamomilla L.

Abstract

Iron and zinc deficiency are a yield-limiting factor with major implications for field crop production in many agricultural regions of the world; this production is essential source of Fe and Zn in human and animal diets. Two experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions to evaluate Fe and Zn uptake by German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) grown under several drought conditions. Treatments were arranged in four irrigation regimes (95%, 80%, 65%, and 50% field capacity) and six irrigation disruptions (stem formation, flower onset, full bloom, first harvest, second harvest, and control without disruption) based on a randomized complete block design with five and four replicates in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In Experiment 1, the irrigation regimes had no significant effect on Fe and Zn uptake by German chamomile, which reached total means of Fe (39.68 mg kg -1 ) and Zn (29.15 mg kg -1 ). In Experiment 2, the highest amount of Fe (39.0 mg kg -1 ) was obtained from irrigation disruption at first harvest; this is similar to the results of irrigation disruption at flower onset and full bloom. However, irrigation disruption in stem formation (21.3 mg kg -1 ), second harvest (12.95 mg kg -1 ), and the control (7.79 mg kg -1 ) had a decreasing trend of Fe uptake. The maximum value of Zn (40.0 mg kg -1 ) occurred at irrigation disruption at the full bloom stage, which was also similar to irrigation disruption at flower onset and stem formation. However, later irrigation disruptions at the first and second harvest stages caused lower amounts of Zn uptake by chamomile. Therefore, the lowest Zn values were obtained from irrigation disruption at second harvest (5.0 mg kg -1 ) and the control (5.5 mg kg -1 ). Regressions between both Fe or Zn uptake and irrigation showed a binomial function.

A Survey of Plant Iron Content—A Semi-Systematic Review

“…A few years ago the statement was made that “there are already publications dealing with total element concentrations in medicinal plants, but only a few investigations deal with more detailed information on the forms of these elements, for example, availability of metals by using different extractants, or correlation of extracted metals with total amounts of organic substances” [ 169 ]. While separate data usually exist for a certain herbal product regarding its iron and polyphenolic or tannin contents, they in most cases come from different studies; therefore, little is known about the potential correlations between the two and it is difficult to appreciate the real levels of the two in the same sample, as they rarely have been assessed in the same samples (to allow for firm conclusions).…”

Effects of prolonged water stress on biomass yield and nutrient uptake by aerial parts of mint (Mentha × piperita L.)

“…Sarajuoghı et al (2014) observed the highest Fe content of T. vulgaris under stress applied at 80% of the field capacity. However, Pirzad et al (2012) reported that water stress levels of 95%, 80%, 65% and 50% did not have a statistically significant effect on the amounts of Fe and Zn taken up by Matricaria chamomilla L. plants, but that severe stress conditions reduced the amounts of Fe and Zn taken up. On the contrary, it has been reported that in Hypnum cupressiforme (hypnum moss) (Sardans and Peñuelas, 2008) and maize (İbrahim et al, 2020), water stress significantly supressed Fe take-up, and thus reduced the plants' Fe contents.…”