Agronomic Zn Biofortification of Cereal Crops a Sustainable Way to Ensuring Nutritional Security: A Review (original) (raw)

International Journal of Environment and Climate Change

Nutritional deficits in humans and animals constitute a hidden epidemic in many impoverished areas across the world. The staple foods of developing South Asian and African nations, such as rice, wheat, and maize, are poor in micronutrients. In recent past, a lack of food diversification i.e., cereal-based crops low in minerals, is another danger to nutritional quality and security. Because of the inherently low-level accumulation of nutrients in cereal crops, they are the primary target for bio-fortification among all crops. Among different micronutrients, zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient that plays a vital role in a variety of physiological functions, and its scarcity will result in lower crop yields and productivity. Agronomic practices like application of fertilizers in soil, nutri-priming, foliar spray etc. enhance the availability and uptake of Zn in crops. As a result, the growth and development, quality parameters and yield attributes of crop enhanced significantly. Th...