RECENT ADVANCES IN BREEDING FOR IMPROVING IRON UTILIZATION BY PLANTS

Iron-chlorosis deficiency may occur when an iron-inefficient genotype is grown on calcareous soil. One way to correct the problem is to modify the genotype by plant breeding. Cultivars have been released for oat (Avena byzantina C. Koch), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], dry bean (Phaseoulus vulgaris L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Progress is being made in peanut (Arachis hypogea L.), forage species such as clovers (Trifolium sp.) and bluestems (Botriochloa sp.), and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Screeing of rootstocks is done on citrus (Citrus sp.), mango (Manguifera indica L.), and avocado (Persea americana Mill.).