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Fig. 5 Microprobe μ-XRF scanning of Fe distribution in cucumber seed cross sections primed with either the negative (water) and positive controls (Fe solution) or microPPO-Fe gel solutions. (a) The scanned areas are indicated by the red dashed line in the schematic photograph. (b) The resulting Fe intensities recorded in all observed seed tissues, that is, seed coat (sc), embryo (embr), and cotyledon (cot), were compared across the treatments. The bar indicates the mean and standard error of several measurements recorded in three independent biological replicates. The n is indicated at the bottom of each bar. The data were subjected to Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunn’s post hoc test at a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). (c) The embryo of cucumber seeds exhibited higher Fe content, as confirmed by the XRF maps showing the spatial distribution of Fe throughout the seed tissues. Scale: 1 mm.