Autophagy: Balancing zinc and iron in plants

Nutrient imbalances can adversely impact crop health and agricultural productivity. The trace elements zinc and iron are taken up by the same transporters in plants, so zinc deficiency can result in excess uptake of iron. How does the plant cope with this imbalance? Researchers from Meiji University, Japan, reveal that autophagy, the process of intracellular self-degradation, may have an unexpected role in restoring zinc-iron balance in plants.