Rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots have iodate reduction activity in response to iodine.

Although iodine is not an essential nutrient for higher plants, their roots take up and transport the element. However, the exact mechanisms involved in iodine uptake and metabolism in higher plants have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we compared two cultivars differing in iodine tolerance ("Nipponbare" and "Gohyakumangoku") to increasing levels of I(-) and IO(-) 3 in the root solutions of water-cultured rice (Oryza sativa L.