Iodine biofortification of vegetable plants-An innovative method for iodine supplementation

To elevate the iodine level in edible plants has been shown to be an excellent approach to correct iodine deficiency. We have proposed an innovative approach to produce iodine supplementation by growing vegetables on soils with algal-based iodized organic fertilizer. Ten species of vegetables were tested. The biological absorption and migration of the iodine within the vegetable plants were revealed using microscopy with silver iodide precipitation technique. The results show that the absorption of iodine by the vegetable increases with increasing amount of the algal-based iodized organic fertilizer in general. And the uptake of iodine by leaf vegetable is significantly greater than that by fruit vegetable. Distribution of iodine in various plant organs shows a trend of decreasing iodine concentration from root, leaf, stalk, to fruit. A similar of decreasing concentration can also be found in various cells (cytoplasm > cytoderm > organelles). The exploration of the iodine uptake and biogeochemistry migration mechanisms provides an important scientific foundation for establishing a new method of producing a natural iodine supplementation by iodine biofortification of vegetables.