Iron accumulates in endosperm to aid seed germination

A major determinant of seed quality is germination speed. Germination speed is dependent on the seed endosperm which allows the root to protrude through still largely unknown mechanisms. Using histochemical staining we observed that several species including Arabidopsis thaliana accumulated iron (Fe) close to the site of germination in the endosperm layer. Previously, we have shown that two metal transporters, VIT1 and MTP8, determine Fe accumulation in the Arabidopsis embryo. We now found that these proteins not only determine Fe accumulation in the embryo but also in the endosperm which impacted the germination speed of these seeds. We aim to use synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping to explore Fe in the endosperm of Arabidopsis wild type and the mutants in depth. This study will link Fe homeostasis to seed germination for the first time and explain the genetic mechanism behind it, potentially opening new avenues to improve seed quality for achieving higher yields in agriculture.