Role of NRAMP transporters for Fe, mineral uptake, and accumulation in rice and other plants

Iron (Fe) is the most important micronutrient responsible for the normal growth of plants. Conversely, overuse or uptake of Fe can lead to plant toxicity because it is an extremely combative Fenton catalyst. Fe is structural molecules in several enzymes and pigments, as a result, it plays an important role in plant physiology. An abundance of Fe can result in the generous formation of reactive oxygen species, which can be harmful to plants. Therefore the plants need to strictly control the Fe balance and react to the deficiency and excess of Fe. The availability of Fe to plants can impact the human by impacting food nutrition, including crop yields and Fe concentrations in edible tissues. For that reason, it is essential to note absorption and transport mechanism of Fe for the cultivation of more nutritious crops that are more resistant to iron deficit soils. The availability of Fe depends on soil types and climate conditions. The understanding of the mechanisms elaborated in access, transportation, and communication has grown as the field has progressed, and storage of iron is critical for crops. Therefore, through this chapter, we bring together the literature to understand the role of transporter Natural Resistance-Related Macrophage Protein (NRAMP) in Fe use efficiency and have proposed how the information can be useful for crop improvement.