Apomictic plants exhibit abnormal pollen development.

Apomixis is the asexual reproduction through seeds that leads to the production of genetically uniform progeny. It has become an important tool in plant breeding because it facilitates the retention of genotypes with desirable traits and allows seeds to be obtained directly from mother plants. Apomixis is rare in most economically important crops, but it occurs in some species.

Phosphate regulates malate/citrate-mediated iron uptake and transport in apple.

The accumulation of iron (Fe) in the apical meristem is considered as a critical factor involved in limiting the elongation of roots under low phosphate (Pi) conditions. Furthermore, the antagonism between Fe and Pi largely affects the effective utilization of Fe. Although the lack of Pi serves to increase the effectiveness of Fe in rice under both Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient conditions, the underlying physiological mechanism governing this phenomenon is still unclear.