Fig. 1: Iron deficiency develops in wheat following prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
a Wheat cultivar ‘Fielder’ grown hydroponically for 2 weeks under normal (NC, 22–25 °C) or high-temperature (HC, 32–35 °C) conditions with non-chelated iron [Fe2(SO4)3] as the sole iron source. Scale bars, 5 cm. b Aboveground fresh weight of wheat plants after 2 weeks of growth under NC or HC. Simple ratio pigment index (SRPI, c) and photochemical reflectance index (PRI, d) from second fully expanded leaves grown under NC or HC for 2 weeks. e Maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) from the second fully expanded leaf blade of seedlings grown under NC or HC for 2 weeks. f Relative concentrations of the indicated metal elements in leaf blades from seedlings grown under NC and HC for 2 weeks. g Newly emerging leaves of seedlings with or without prolonged high-temperature stress. Seedlings were grown hydroponically with non-chelated iron under NC or HC for 4 weeks. Scale bars, 5 cm. h Relative expression of the iron deficiency–marker gene TaIRO2.6 in the leaves of wheat seedlings grown under NC or HC for 4 weeks. Data are means ± SEM (n = 4 in (b, e, f); n = 6 in (c, d); n = 3 in (h) biological replicates). *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.001, from two-tailed Student’s t tests between NC and HC; the exact P values for significant differences are given in the graphs. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
