Iodine Biofortificationin Tomato with a Strategy to Prevent Iodine Deficiency

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the potential of iodine biofortification in tomato fruits by fertilizing potassium iodate in soil, foliar form and chitosan complex forms. While foliar spray alone increases iodine content in leaves (95%), chitosan iodate complex alone and soil application alone increased iodine contentin roots (11% and 16%) and stems (19% and 27%). However, higher iodine accumulation (3%) in tomato fruits was achieved through the combination of foliar and iodine chitosan forms, as electrostatic interaction between chitosan and iodate prevents volatilization and gradually increases the bioavailability of iodine from soil to fruits. The transfer factor was higher for iodate and chitosan complex from soil to plant. Further, the average and relative distribution of iodine in plants revealed that the chitosan iodate complex and foliar spray combination is proven to be the most effective, as it keeps adequate amounts of iodine in roots, stems, and leaves while also increasing iodine content in final fruit. Biofortifying iodine through iodate chitosan complex increases iodine content in tomato fruit and introducing it in our daily diet may help to reduce iodine deficiency.