The long and winding road of iron from soil to seed

Iron (Fe) is an essential element for all living organisms, since it is a cofactor of proteins and enzymes involved in a wide range of biochemical functions in the plant energy management such as respiration and photosynthesis. In humans Fe deficiency is probably the major nutritional constraint affecting almost 2.7 billion people, in particular children and young women in developing countries. To ameliorate this deficiency several approaches have been made. One of the most promising is the biofortification of plants (grains and vegetables) to increase the amount and the bioavailability of iron in their edible parts. The task is quite complex since it is important to understand how plant take up this microelement from the soil and above all how it will be delivered to the edible parts of the plant. In this talk I will present and discuss the possible routes iron goes through from soil to the seeds and how is stored in more bioavailable forms.