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Iron (Fe) is an important micronutrient required for healthy life. Malnutrition resulting from low Fe in plant-based foods has caused serious problems worldwide. We propose that Fe biofortification of tomato through seed priming would be an innovative approach to address the problem Fe deficiency. This research was conducted to find the impact of Fe seed priming on germination, morphology, physiology, growth, yield, and final enrichment of Fe in fruit of tomato in two commercial hybrids. Tomato seeds were primed with different concentrations of iron sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) in the range of 1–15 mg L−1, resulting in differential accumulation of tomato fruit Fe contents. We observed a marked improvement in tomato seedling traits, yield contributing traits, fruit quality, biochemical attributes and physiological parameters. Interestingly, the Fe treatment concentration of 10 mg L−1 demonstrated improved tomato growth with a significant increase in fruit Fe contents to of 2.04 and 2.37 which are very much higher as compared to control having Fe contents of 1.47 and 1.49 ppm respectively. Fe seed priming of tomato represents as a cost effective and user-friendly strategy for tomato biofortification which triggers Fe acquisition and its final enrichment in tomato fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inability of humans and many farm animals to synthesize certain amino acids has long triggered tremendous interest in increasing the levels of these so-called essential amino acids in crop plants. Hence, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of straw mulch (8 t ha−1) and biochar applied at various rates (0, 4, 12, 36 t ha−1) on the chlorophyll, photosynthesis, total nitrogen in soil, essential and nonessential amino acid (AA) contents of maize grain. The maize straw mulch and biochar significantly increased chlorophyll contents, photosynthesis rate of maize crop and total soil nitrogen. The application of biochar (12 t ha−1) increased the chlorophyll contents and photosynthesis rate and total soil nitrogen during both years. However, excessive biochar applications (more than 12 t ha−1) had negative effects on chlorophyll contents, photosynthesis rate of maize crop and total soil nitrogen of soil. The AAs were significantly affected by biochar, depending on the application rate. In conclusion, the application of straw mulch and biochar improved the rate of leaf chlorophyll contents, photosynthesis rate and amino acid contents in maize grain when applied at appropriate rates, but the effects were negative when biochar was overused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]