简介：Despitethefactthatironisoneofthemostabundantelementsoftheearth'scrust,irondeficienciesareseriousproblemsbothinhumannutrition[1]andinagriculture[2].Sixtoeightpercentoftheworld'spopulationispotentiallyaffectedbyirondeficiencyinducedanemia,aleadingcauseofmaternaldeathinAfricanandAsiancountrieswherepeoplerelymostlyonplantsfortheirdailyintakeofiron.Ironcanalsobealimitingfactorinthegrowthofeconomicallyimportantcropplantsbecauseofinadequatesoilchemistry,andsuchdeficienciescannoteasilybecorrectedbyamendingthesoil.Improvingtheplant'sabilitytoabsorbironinadverseconditionsandtoincreasetheiroverallcontentcouldoffersolutionstothesedramaticproblems.Thereforeunderstandingthemolecularmechanismsregulatingironuptakeandhomeostasisinplantshaspotentiallyimportantpracticalapplicationsbothinagricultureandhumanhealth[3].