Transcriptome analysis for Iron toxicity in rice cultivars

It is very well known that rice paddy grows in standing water containing soil, however it become yield-limiting by the presence of high concentrations of reduced and soluble ferrous iron (Fe2+) in flooded paddy soils reducing its redox potential. In contrast to flooded soil, well aerated contains soluble oxidized Fe3+ (ferric). Though the rice plant has defined regulatory mechanisms for iron uptake and its homeostasis, the presence of higher concentration of Fe2+ in soil make it to absorb in excess and accumulates in the leaves which starts production of hydroxyl radicals and reactive oxygen species instigating irreparable damage to cell structural components, membrane lipids, proteins and nucleic acids which also leads to cell death. The necrotic effect of iron toxicity become visible as brown/reddish spots on the leaves called as ‘leaf bronzing’ due to the chlorophyll oxidation leads to reduction of leaf photosynthesis and crop destruction. Though the physiological response towards iron toxicity is comprehensively studied, the underlying functional and regulatory molecular mechanisms of tolerance become imperative.