Tropical Rice Cultivars from Lowland and Upland Cropping Systems Differ in Iron Plaque Formation

In iron toxic wetlands, ferric hydroxide is commonly deposited on rice roots. This study aims to to evaluate the differences in iron plaque formation in rice cultivars from different cropping systems. Thirty days old seedlings of Brazilian rice cultivars from the lowland cropping system (‘BRS Atalanta’ and ‘Epagri 107’) and upland cropping system (‘Canastra’) or both systems (‘BRSMG Curinga’) and the cultivar ‘Nipponbare’ were exposed to iron excess 4 mM iron sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO₄.7H₂O)] for seven days in nutrient solution. It was observed iron plaque formation and ruptures of the root epidermal cells. The lowland cultivars showed higher Fe content in iron plaque. Iron stain was detected in the root hairs, epidermis, hypodermis, and exodermis. The root exodermis may be contributed to prevent the deposit of iron in the cortex of the lowland cultivars and in the cultivar ‘BRSMG Curinga’. It was observed in plants with iron plaque formation significant reductions in the shoot content of phosphorous, manganese and magnesium due to different causes. The differences in iron plaque formation among the cultivars might be an indicative of variations in exodermis selectivity, root oxidative capacity, and iron nutrition mechanisms.