Considerations on the shuttle mechanism of FeEDDHA chelates at the soil root interface in case of Fe deficiency

Author(s)
Walter Schenkeveld, Arjen Reichwein, Erwin J. M. Temminghoff, Willem van Riemsdijk
Abstract

Aim: A mechanism of action for the performance of Fe chelates as soil-applied fertilizer has been hypothesized by Lindsay and Schwab (J Plant Nutr 5:821-840, 1982), in which the ligand participates in a cyclic process of delivering Fe at the root surface and mobilizing Fe from the soil. This "shuttle mechanism" seems appealing in view of fertilizer efficiency, but little is known about its performance. The chelate FeEDDHA is a commonly used Fe fertilizer on calcareous soils.Methods: In this study, the performance of the shuttle mechanism has been examined for FeEDDHA chelates in soil interaction and pot trial experiments.Results: The specificity of EDDHA ligands for chelating Fe from soils of low Fe availability is limited. Experimental support for a shuttle mechanism in soil-plant systems with FeEDDHA was found: specific metal mobilization only occurred upon FeEDDHA-facilitated Fe uptake. The mobilized metals originated at least in part from the root surface instead of the soil.Conclusion: The results from this study support the existence of a shuttle mechanism with FeEDDHA in soil application. If the efficiency of the shuttle mechanism is however largely controlled by metal availability in the bulk soil, it is heavily compromised by complexation of competing cations: Al, Mn and particularly Cu.

Organisation(s)
External organisation(s)
Akzo Nobel N.V., Wageningen University and Research Centre
Journal
Plant and Soil: international journal on plant-soil relationships
Volume
379
Pages
373-387
No. of pages
15
ISSN
0032-079X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2057-1
Publication date
2014
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
104004 Chemical biology, 104023 Environmental chemistry, 105906 Environmental geosciences
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Soil Science, Plant Science
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/f6a99ee6-bd7e-4162-9776-719a2bc1e01d