Iron deficiency, fruit yield and fruit quality

Abstract

Iron deficiency is a major constraint for many fruit crops grown on calcareous soils. Iron deficiency is often assumed tacitly to affect negatively both fruit yield and fruit quality, but to our knowledge no review has been done so far on these specific issues. This review discusses first the negative effects of Fe deficiency in fruit yield, including as an example new data obtained for peach size, fruit number and yield per tree. Then, we discuss data available on the effects of Fe fertilization on the yields of different Fe-deficient fruit crops. Effects of Fe deficiency and Fe fertilization on flowering and fruit set are also reviewed, and the causes of the decrease of yield with Fe deficiency are discussed. The second part of the article discusses the published evidence on the effects of Fe deficiency on fruit quality in different crops. The effects of different Fe fertilization techniques on fruit quality are also reviewed. Fruits from Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient trees may have similar size, firmness and color, but still show marked chemical characteristics affecting their organoleptic quality. Finally, future lines of research are also suggested. © 2006 Springer.