Alleviation of iron deficiency in pear by ammonium nitrate and nitric oxide

Abstract Background Iron is essential for the growth and development of trace elements in plants, and iron deficiency can lead to leaf chlorosis. Ammonium and nitrate are the major forms of nitrogen present in soils. Ammonium nitrate alleviates the chlorosis of leaves caused by iron deficiency, but the mechanism is not clear in pear. Results Ammonium nitrate induced the increase of nitric oxide (NO) under iron deficiency. We further analyzed the effect of NO by exogenous NO treatment. The results showed that ammonium nitrate and NO increased the activity of ferric chelate reductase. NO induced the expression of multiple IRT genes and promoted the transmembrane transport of irons. Ammonium nitrate and NO promoted the activity of nitrogen assimilation-related enzymes and the nitrogen absorption capacity, and they also increased glutamine synthetase activity. Finally, ammonium nitrate and NO increased chlorophyll synthesis, with subsequent increase in the photosynthetic capacity of plants and accumulation of biomass. Conclusion Ammonium nitrate indirectly alleviates the symptoms of plant yellowing by promoting the increase of NO, which increases the response of iron transporters. Both substances increase the nitrogen accumulation in plants. This study demonstrates a new option for minimizing Fe deficiency by regulating the balance between nutrients.