Article

Are the modern-bred rice and wheat cultivars in India inefficient in zinc and iron sequestration?

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Abstract

Zinc and iron deficiency is a serious global health problem in humans depending on cereal-diet and is largely prevalent in low-income countries like Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and South-east Asia. We report inefficiency of modern-bred cultivars of rice and wheat to sequester those essential nutrients in grains as the reason for such deficiency and prevalence. To substantiate, experiments were conducted with elite, high-yielding cultivars of rice (n = 16) and wheat (n = 18) released in succeeding decades since the beginning of green revolution in India. The inherent Zn and Fe sequestering capacity in grains of the cultivars, and their responses to external application of Zn and Fe fertilizers were evaluated following standard protocols. We found a downward trend in grain density of Zn and Fe in those cereals in past more than 50 years. However, we failed to notice yield-dilution as causative effect for such unwitting downward trend. With time, the cultivars again became stubborn to Zn and Fe fertilization for enhancing their grain density. Further, we noticed that external supply of one element, to improve its density in grains, had inhibitory effect on accumulation of the other, and the effect was magnified along the succeeding decades. Our innovative research warrants an improvement in ionomes of the cereals to alleviate the said incapacitating effect and ultimately the deficiency of those elements in humans, particularly living in low-income countries.

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... This could jeopardize lives of millions of people subsisting on cereal-diets since cereals are also inheritably poor in mineral elements and their bioavailability 23,24 . Recently, we reported such a phenomenon in Indian cultivars also and apprehended its manifestations on human health with prevalence of a few disorders, particularly MNDs in Indian population 25 . Contrarily, a perception has also been grown that modern cereal breeding has increased toxic element components of the grains 26 . ...
... Fan et al. 18 and recently Debnath et al. 25 reported that decrease in grain minerals density in cereals was not related with their depletion in the soils. It possibly hints out of a disruption in crop plants' inherent intricate regulatory mechanisms for balanced uptake and distribution of mineral nutrients inadvertently created in course of the past breeding programs. ...
... www.nature.com/scientificreports/ nutrient concentration of cereal cultivars, over the past 50 years or so, was also documented by others 20,25,26,41,42 . ...
Article
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The ‘Green Revolution (GR)’ has been successful in meeting food sufficiency in India, but compromising its nutritional security. In a first, we report altered grain nutrients profile of modern-bred rice and wheat cultivars diminishing their mineral dietary significance to the Indian population. To substantiate, we evaluated grain nutrients profile of historical landmark high-yielding cultivars of rice and wheat released in succeeding decades since the GR and its impacts on mineral diet quality and human health, with a prediction for decades ahead. Analysis of grain nutrients profile shows a downward trend in concentrations of essential and beneficial elements, but an upward in toxic elements in past 50 y in both rice and wheat. For example, zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentration in grains of rice decreased by ~ 33.0 (P < 0.001) and 27.0% (P < 0.0001); while for wheat it decreased by ~ 30.0 (P < 0.0001) and 19.0% (P < 0.0001) in past more than 50 y, respectively. A proposed mineral-diet quality index (M-DQI) significantly (P < 0.0001) decreased ~ 57.0 and 36.0% in the reported time span (1960–2010) in rice and wheat, respectively. The impoverished M-DQI could impose hostile effects on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like iron-deficiency anemia, respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal among the Indian population by 2040. Our research calls for an urgency of grain nutrients profiling before releasing a cultivar of staples like rice and wheat in the future.
... Despite the fact that staple food crops (rice, wheat, maize) are low in essential micronutrients, which is the primary reason for malnutrition in majority of the world population (Murphy et al., 2008;Davis, 2009;Debnath et al., 2021), limited research is undertaken to identify reasons leading to their poor nutritional status. One of the prominent reasons for low level of nutrients supplied by major cereals could be the large spatial adoption of high yielding varieties/hybrids, which are documented to be nutritionally poor as compared to their traditional counterparts (Garvin et al., 2006;Debnath et al., 2021). ...
... Despite the fact that staple food crops (rice, wheat, maize) are low in essential micronutrients, which is the primary reason for malnutrition in majority of the world population (Murphy et al., 2008;Davis, 2009;Debnath et al., 2021), limited research is undertaken to identify reasons leading to their poor nutritional status. One of the prominent reasons for low level of nutrients supplied by major cereals could be the large spatial adoption of high yielding varieties/hybrids, which are documented to be nutritionally poor as compared to their traditional counterparts (Garvin et al., 2006;Debnath et al., 2021). Another possible reason is the unprecedented rise in CO 2 from pre-industrial level (280 ppm) to historically high (417 ppm) in 2020 (Bereiter et al., 2015;NOAA, 2020), which has an inevitable impact on crop growth, yield and quality (Dingkuhn et al., 2020;Bhargava and Mitra, 2021). ...
... This effect is majorly attributed to the dilution effect observed under conditions, which favour enhanced substrate (CO 2 ) supply for photosynthesis and carbon assimilation (Ebi et al., 2021). In addition, modern high yielding cultivars have been documented to accumulate lower levels of important micronutrients such as Zn and Fe (Garvin et al., 2006;Amiri et al., 2015;Debnath et al., 2021), which could be due to (i) poor phyto-availability of nutrients in the soil and (ii) loss of traits favouring nutrient acquisition and distribution in modern cultivars (Fan et al., 2008;Debnath et al., 2021). In a comparative study of modern bred rice and wheat cultivars, Debnath et al. (2021) explained that the ability to sequester Zn and Fe in modern cultivars of rice and wheat was not constrained by their supply in soil, but, plausibly due to (i) lack of favourable transporter alleles (e.g. ...
Article
Crop improvement programs are facing serious challenges to sustain food and more importantly nutritional demand from global population, due to changing climate. Major staple cereals provide the caloric requirement for the global population, but are poor sources of micronutrients. Besides nutritional dilution due to the yield oriented breeding, and unprecedented increase in atmospheric CO2, altered composition of beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere is seen as a plausible reason driving low nutrient accumulation in cereals. A complex network of signalling between plant and microbes in the rhizosphere reveals extensive links between environment, microbes and crop nutrition. Despite established roles of rhizospheric microbes on crop nutrient dynamics, limited knowledge is available on the impact of climate change on rhizosphere biology and the subsequent modulation of crop nutrition. Here, we emphasize the potential role of microbes to help sustain the global nutritional demand, achieved through the development of microbiome responsive nutrient rich staple crops. To succeed in this goal, dynamics of rhizosphere biology altered by climate change factors (CO2, temperature, precipitation), farming practices and soil properties needs to be untangled and a robust research pathway established to enhance crop nutrition with microbial biofortification to ensure a sustainable route to achieve global nutritional security.
... In addition to cereals, a vegetarian's balanced diet should include pulses, vegetables, and fruits, which are a good source of Zn and Fe (Marles 2017;Thavarajah et al. 2009) and can help in alleviating their deficiencies in humans. But little information is available on Zn and Fe content in other crops, as compared to plenty of reports in cereals (Debnath et al. 2021;Khokhar et al. 2018;Magallanes-López et al. 2017;Saha et al. 2015). This necessitates an urge to screen different crops that are widely consumed as food, to identify their inheritability for Zn and Fe accumulation potential and variability among their gene pools. ...
... A cultivar with higher inherent Zn and Fe is relatively stubborn to their (Zn and Fe) application through soil or foliar spray (Saha et al. 2015). Thus, a successful agronomic biofortification program needs cultivars with low Zn and Fe sequestration potential (Debnath et al. 2021), while breeding purpose needs Zn and Fe efficient cultivars to develop new elites (Wang et al. 2018). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate genetic variations in yield, Zn and Fe concentrations, and their uptake in edible parts and (ii) screen genotypes for higher Zn and Fe concentration matched with better yield potentiality, in food crops that are globally consumed on large scale. ...
... The particulars of cluster means are presented in Table 4 1 biomass yield than in nutrient accumulation in edible part, may result in a decrease in micronutrient concentration (Oury et al. 2006;Garcia-Oliveira et al. 2018;Wang et al. 2018), and numerous other studies demonstrate dilution effect does, in fact, also functional in fruits and vegetables (Chakraborty et al. 2021;Davis 2011;Marles 2017). It is because higher Zn and Fe accumulating traits may have been bred out of the current cultivars of the studied crops, as breeding efforts have historically been focused on size, shape, appearance, yield improvements, and/or abiotic and biotic stress resistance, with no consideration for mineral nutritional value (Debnath et al. 2021). Moreover, this yield-induced-dilution effect was more prominent on Zn concentration [r = − 0.13 in wheat; r = − 0.30 in lentil; r = − 0.55** (P < 0.01) in tomato] than on Fe concentration (r = − 0.09 in wheat; r = − 0.23 in lentil; r = − 0.03 in tomato), possibly implying that increasing Zn concentration through interventions could result more yield penalty. ...
Article
Micronutrient malnutrition is a major global public health concern. To curtail this, dietary diversity characterized by the consumption of cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits is often advised. Herein lies the need for screening of different cultivars of commonly consumed food crops for their inheritability to accumulate Zn and Fe and to evaluate variability present among their gene pools. Edible part of a few food crops (e.g., wheat, lentil, tomato, and mango) representing a broad group of cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits along with their available gene pools were sampled for Zn and Fe concentration, given that these food crops are most widely cultivated and consumed on a global scale. The native Zn and Fe accumulation in the edible parts varied significantly (P < 0.05) among the tested food crops, which followed an order: lentil > mango > tomato > wheat, for both the nutrients. Nevertheless, there was limited inherent variation within their respective gene pools. K-means clustering analysis and a study on critical level Zn and Fe content in edible parts through quadrant segregation helped us to screen certain promising genotypes/cultivars for higher Zn and Fe concentration, above their notional baseline concentration, coupled with the high-yielding attribute in the tested food crops. The segregated genotypes/cultivars with low Zn and Fe sequestration potential can serve as important inclusion for agronomic biofortification program, while Zn or Fe efficient cultivars may offer scope for genetic study and development of new elites through breeding interventions to combat Zn and Fe malnutrition in human.
... Основная причина развития скрытого голода у населения -низкое содержание незаменимых нутриентов в основных продовольственных культурах, таких как рис, пшеница и кукуруза [4][5][6]. Это может быть связано с широким распространением высокоурожайных сортов и гибридов, которые характеризуются более низким содержанием питательных веществ в сравнении с традиционными сортами [4]. С другой стороны, накоплению нутриентов сельскохозяйственными культурами препятствует низкое плодородие возделываемых почв [7]. ...
... Основная причина развития скрытого голода у населения -низкое содержание незаменимых нутриентов в основных продовольственных культурах, таких как рис, пшеница и кукуруза [4][5][6]. Это может быть связано с широким распространением высокоурожайных сортов и гибридов, которые характеризуются более низким содержанием питательных веществ в сравнении с традиционными сортами [4]. С другой стороны, накоплению нутриентов сельскохозяйственными культурами препятствует низкое плодородие возделываемых почв [7]. ...
Article
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Hidden hunger is a significant social issue in numerous countries worldwide, causing the development of nutrition-related diseases among populations annually. Biofortification offers a sustainable solution as it combines methods of cross-breeding, genetic engineering, agriculture, and microbiology. The authors reviewed international studies in the field of microbial biofortification in order to assess the microbial potential to enh ance the essential element content in grain crops. The review featured relevant scientific articles published by foreign experts in Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar in 1984–2024. The keywords included biofortification, wheat, rice, oats, growth stimulation, antagonism, and phytopathogen. The sources were processed in Zotero and VOSviewer. Nitrogen fixation and nutrient solubilization are the main mechanisms of microbial biofortification. Solubilization occurs as a synthesis of organic and inorganic acids, protons, siderophores, extracellular enzymes, and other secondary metabolites. Microorganisms can improve the expression of plant genes in terms of absorption and nutrient accumulation. They also affect root systems, facilitating the extraction of nutrients from the soil. The authors summarized laboratory and field studies on microbial biofortification of rice, wheat, and barley with iron, selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Biofortified growth-promoting microorganisms are a sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective approach to food security and hidden hunger issues. The review offers relevant information that can be used to develop new microbial preparations for the domestic agriculture.
... Production of wheat and rice is increased tremendously due to the extensive breeding efforts majorly confined to the yield and yield component traits (Morris and Sands 2006). Therefore, high-yielding modern varieties and hybrids are documented to have lower concentration of grain nutrients (Debnath et al. 2021). On the other hand, an unprecedented increase in atmospheric CO 2 from the Communicated by F. Békés. ...
... Moreover, complex interaction between different nutrients further complicates the process of biofortification. Indeed, it is mostly ignored how the status of one micronutrient could affect the level of other micronutrients in the tissues, particularly in grains (Debnath et al. 2021). Thus, breeding for high nutritional crops is a challenging task, which involves multiple physiological processes and genes that regulate nutrient dynamics at the cellular level. ...
Article
https://rdcu.be/dhDlS Green revolution has resulted substantial increase in the agricultural production. However, increase in the crop productivity during the post-green revolution period has been suggested as the reason for the gradual deterioration of the nutritional quality, particularly in the elite high-yielding cereal crops. Consequences of the poor nutritional supply led to retarded growth and anemia, frequently diagnosed among children and women. Several approaches have been employed to improve the nutritional supply to consumers such as dietary diversification, supplemental food fortification, industrial fortification of food items and dairy products. However, the biofortification of major cereal crops has been sought as the most economical and sustainable approach to address widespread malnutrition. Though crop nutrient dynamics is complex, which involves multiple physiological and molecular processes, the progress in genomics-assisted breeding and high-throughput plant phenotyping has opened new opportunities to improve crops with high yield and nutrition. Nevertheless, an integrated approach is warranted by combining microbial-assisted augmented nutritional supply with conventional and advanced breeding approaches for biofortification. This review majorly focuses on major challenges in breeding nutrient rich crops and discusses opportunities, which can help in achieving nutrient-rich crops in future.
... The urgent adoption of sustainable soil management practices is necessary, as ongoing soil deterioration forces farmers to expand into marginal or forested lands, which requires substantial investments (Wani, 2021). Evaluating the quality of cultivated is vital, especially in impoverished regions where food security is closely linked to poverty, as highlighted by the FAO (Debnath et al., 2021). Addressing soil degradation is especially urgent in the context of climate change, which may impact agriculture and soil health differently across regions. ...
Article
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Using chemical fertilizers extensively in small farms has helped increase crop yields, supporting food security and economic growth. However, recent studies show that these fertilizers are often used inefficiently and inconsis tently. This leads to environmental harm, unbalanced soil nutrients, and lower-quality food production. These issues threaten food security, which is vital for human survival and may lead to the abandonment of arable land. This situation calls for a significant shift in soil conservation research to better connect scientific findings with practical conservation methods, ensuring that agricultural progress goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability. Effective use of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers is vital for both environmental sustainability and food security. Correcting nutritional imbalances, especially the disrupted N/P ratio caused by faulty fertilization practices, is key to ensuring a balanced nutrient supply. These imbalances have a substantial effect on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, altering their functionality, biodiversity and human nutrition Therefore, adopting balanced fertilization techniques is essential to combine environmental sustainability with global food security and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).To optimize nutrient consumption and production efficiency, regulations should be enacted to enforce the 4R principle, which involves applying the right nutrient source at the appropriate rate, time, method and location. This article emphasizes the connections between current agricultural practices, land use, fertilizer application, soil degra dation, and future challenges. It promotes environmentally friendly farming methods that recognize the vital links between soil quality, food security, human health, and environmental sustainability.
... Indian soils being poor in available nitrogen content cannot fulfill the protein requirement and thus lacks essential amino acids required in human nutrition. The rising reliance of the population on cereals which are low in micronutrient concentrations for their overall nutrition can lead to high incidences of nutritional imbalance in human populations as these micronutrients acts as major co-factor elements in enzymes and vitamins (Debnath et al., 2021). Hence, soil fertility plays a vital role not only on the quantity of food grain produced but also on the nutritive quality as well. ...
Book
In an age marked by rapid urbanization, technological advancement, and ever increasing demands on the planet's resources, the significance of our environment's health has taken center stage like never before. Among the essential components that sustain life on Earth, soil often remains uncelebrated and overlooked, despite being the literal foundation upon which ecosystems thrive. This book explores the complex world of soil, revealing its significant impact on the environment, agriculture, and the overall health of our planet. We explore the science, history, and significance of soil as a dynamic and living entity holding secrets yet to be unraveled fully. As we confront challenges such as climate change, food security, and sustainable land use, understanding, and nurturing soil health emerges as a pivotal solution. Throughout these chapters, we underscore the undeniable connection between healthy soil and the well-being of humanity. By nurturing soil health, we not only ensure bountiful harvests and sustain ecosystems, but we also mitigate the impacts of climate change, safeguard water resources, and contribute to a healthier planet for generations to come. This book serves as an invitation to readers from all walks of life - farmers, policymakers, students, and curious minds alike - to join the conversation about soil health and take tangible steps toward restoration. Furthermore, this book explores soil health, erosion, degradation, restoration, and management, providing insights into emerging trends and practices that can redefine our relationship with the land. It engages in profound discussions about the challenges and ethical considerations inherent in the pursuit of sustainable soil management techniques, aiming to revolutionize the way we approach the stewardship of this precious resource. Lastly, it highlights solutions to improve and maintain soil health so as to achieve greater productivity and sustainability without damaging the soil system or the environment. We hope this book encourages readers to discover the many ways they can restore soil health. Our goal is to empower individuals to contribute to the creation of healthy and fertile soil, resulting in abundant and nutritious crops.
... Breeding for high yielding wheat genotypes had been a continuous practice since green revolution era which narrowed down the genetic variation for grain Zn and Fe content in adapted cultivars. Landraces, T. spelta derivatives and synthetic wheat have been accepted as reliable sources of enriched grain micronutrients along with disease resistance genes (Velu et al. 2014;Debnath et al. 2021;Baranwal et al. 2022). The wheat improvement programme at International Centre of Maize and Wheat Research, Mexico (CIMMYT, Mexico), had incorporated identified Zn and Fe donors and elite materials conferring biotic and abiotic stress tolerance into their breeding programme to harness favourable alleles into pipeline materials (Rosyara et al. 2019). ...
Article
Terminal heat stress and foliar diseases like rusts and spot blotch are the major concerns for sustainable wheat production in South Asia. Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains witness the crucial role of heat stress during grain-filling duration (GFD) and occurrence of rust diseases and spot blotch in wheat. One hundred promising wheat genotypes were selected from five international wheat yield trials and evaluated at three sites in India for yield components and disease resistance. To identify potential donors, these lines were further screened under timely sown (normal sown) and late sown (heat stress) conditions. Analysis of variation in the studied traits revealed significant differences among all the genotypes in both environments. Grain yield showed a positive and significant correlation with NDVI, chlorophyll index, flag leaf length, flag leaf area, tiller per plant, number of grains per spike, peduncle length and 1000 grain weight (TGW) in both environments. Grain zinc and iron content was substantially increased under late sown condition. As per heat susceptibility index of GFD, TGW, NDVI and grain yield per plot, 10 tested entries were found heat tolerant. Ten promising entries with low disease score were listed as spot blotch donors. Markers linked with seven rust resistance genes, three spot blotch genes and two markers linked with quality-related traits, namely yellow pigment (Psy-A1) and polyphenol oxidase activity (Ppo-1A) and rust pathotypes, were also used to identify the presence of individual genes. Promising entries 46 (CWYT-613; GID 7631433) and 58 (41ESWYT-137; GID 8240588), common for both tested conditions, were identified and promoted under the breeding programme.
... The rising global population, loss of land resources, and climate change have severe consequences on agriculture production systems, leading to food and nutrition insecurity [1,2]. Global crop improvement programs have been given satisfactory attention to ensure food security; however, there has been little research in modern breeding and genetics, and imbalanced fertilization, which are the primary causes of nutritional insecurity in different staple crops [2,3]. Most of the global population is deficient in essential micronutrients, which increases the demand for sustainable agriculture practices for higher quality and yield of crops. ...
Article
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The relationship between zinc mineral nutrition and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is pivotal in enhancing agricultural productivity, especially in tropical regions characterized by diverse climatic conditions and soil variability. This review synthesizes and critically evaluates current knowledge regarding the synergistic interaction between zinc mineral nutrition and PGPB in tropical agricultural systems. Zinc is an essential and fundamental micronutrient for various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Its deficiency affects plant growth and development, decreasing yields and nutritional quality. In tropical regions, where soil zinc availability is often limited or imbalanced, the PGPB, through different mechanisms such as Zn solubilization; siderophore production; and phytohormone synthesis, supports Zn uptake and assimilation, thereby facilitating the adverse effects of zinc deficiency in plants. This review outlines the impacts of Zn–PGPB interactions on plant growth, root architecture, and productivity in tropical agricultural systems. The positive relationship between PGPB and plants facilitates Zn uptake and improves nutrient use efficiency, overall crop performance, and agronomic biofortification. In addition, this review highlights the importance of considering indigenous PGPB strains for specific tropical agroecosystems, acknowledging their adaptability to local conditions and their potential in sustainable agricultural practices. It is concluded that Zn fertilizer and PGPBs have synergistic interactions and can offer promising avenues for sustainable agriculture, addressing nutritional deficiencies, improving crop resilience, and ensuring food security.
... While genetic diversity was studied among 80 irrigated bread wheat varieties by Amiri et al. (2015), it revealed that Zn and Fe concentration as well as protein content in grain were reduced substantially over the years, though the grain yield was moderately improved for diverse wheat cultivars during last 70 years. As reported by Debnath et al. (2021), the depletion in grain Fe per decade was 23.3% due to applied Zn, and for vice-versa it was 35.7% in wheat over the last 50 years; this is due to impaired transport process of both Zn and Fe with newer-released wheat cultivars (1990s and later) which were again proved reluctant to external supply of Zn, and Fe to increase their grain density; thus, the deterioration in Zn-Fe relationship may challenge a combined loading of Zn and Fe in wheat grains, which urges a diverge study on elemental profiling approach to modify grain ionome in cereals. ...
Article
A deficiency of zinc (Zn) is ubiquitous causing threat of Zn malnutrition worldwide, especially, due to reliance on Zn-poor cereal-based diets. As a principal staple grain, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is consumed by 40% of global population. The wide gap between the available Zn concentration in wheat grain (20–35 mg kg⁻¹) and that required Zn for human health (45 mg kg⁻¹), urges the need for biofortification. Agronomic biofortification is a feasible and economic intervention strategy for mitigation of Zn deficiency or malnutrition by increasing Zn concentration and bioavailability in edible parts of cereals with increased yield; though there are bottlenecks at the root-shoot barrier and in grain filling. This review explores the reasons to enhance grain Zn bioavailability, and the role of fertilizer management on agronomic biofortification of wheat with Zn. Foliar, or soil + foliar application of Zn salts can increase the Zn concentration ≤60 mg kg⁻¹ in whole wheat grain. The Zn-nanocarrier (Zn-Chitosan Nanoparticles) has higher Zn-use efficiency, than zinc sulfate. Grain Zn accumulation is regulated by Zn remobilization from shoot and continuous uptake during the grain filling of wheat. Foliar Zn application early during grain filling improves Zn transport in the endosperm, which is the main consumable grain fraction. Relevantly, newer-released cultivars exhibit Zn-Fe antagonism, may challenge a combined loading of Zn and Fe in cereal grains, but biofortification does not intend a trade-off between two. Consequently, the efficacy of Zn-biofortification needs to be studied using distinct biomarkers.
... Though the supply is augmented through fertilizer application yet only 14% of the fertilizer N reaches human mouth in a vegetarian diet and only 4% in a non-vegetarian diet (Galloway and Cowling, 2002). Dependence of the growing population on cereals, which are not only inherently low in micronutrients but also losing its concentration with progression since the initiation of green revolution compared with many other food crops, leads to micronutrient deficiencies (Debnath et al., 2021). This is particularly pronounced in coarse-textured soils with low SOC contents (Benbi and Brar, 1992). ...
Article
Full-text available
Healthy soil is critical to human health and for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Although India attained self-sufficiency in food production, realising zero hunger, good health, and no poverty remains a challenge. In this paper, we summarize key features of Indian soils and capture existing and developing trends in soil research in India to assess our preparedness to meet soil-linked SDGs. We begin by taking a stock of Indian soils, their nutrient status, and soil quality and explore some of the rapidly emerging areas of soil research to realize this goal. Given that the average soil organic carbon (SOC) content is around 0.54%, the majority of Indian soils are low in major and micronutrients. Large-scale soil testing in farmers’ fields suggests that more than 70% of soils suffer either from soil acidity or soil alkalinity. With about 29% of the total geographical area under the process of land degradation, deficiency of several plant nutrients is showing malnutrition in Indian population. Smallholder farms in India need new agricultural technology and their efficient delivery to farmers. Over the last decade, there have been ambitious Government programmes such as national soil health card mission and rapidly changing agricultural research ecosystem to promote smart sensing, robotics, remote sensing to name a few. The realization that farmers are to be associated with soil research and development, as is done in soil health card mission and public-private partnership such as Bhoochetna, sets in a new trend to enable the country and its citizens self-reliant.
... Crop nutritional quality become very challenging, as we noticed that, zinc and iron deficiency is a serious global health problem in humans depending on cereal-diet and is largely prevalent in lowincome countries like Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. We report inefficiency of modern-bred cultivars of rice and wheat to sequester those essential nutrients in grains as the reason for such deficiency and prevalence (Debnath et al., 2021). Keeping in mind the crop yield and nutritional quality become very daunting task to our food security issue and this can overcome with the proper and time bound research in cognizance with the environment. ...
Article
Agriculture production is directly dependent on climate change and weather. Possible changes in temperature, precipitation and CO2 concentration are expected to significantly impact crop growth and ultimately we lose our crop productivity and indirectly affect the sustainable food availability issue. The overall impact of climate change on worldwide food production is considered to be low to moderate with successful adaptation and adequate irrigation. Climate change has a serious impact on the availability of various resources on the earth especially water, which sustains life on this planet. The global food security situation and outlook remains delicately imbalanced amid surplus food production and the prevalence of hunger, due to the complex interplay of social, economic, and ecological factors that mediate food security outcomes at various human and institutional scales. Weather aberration poses complex challenges in terms of increased variability and risk for food producers and the energy and water sectors. Changes in the biosphere, biodiversity and natural resources are adversely affecting human health and quality of life. Throughout the 21st century, India is projected to experience warming above global level. India will also begin to experience more seasonal variation in temperature with more warming in the winters than summers. Longevity of heat waves across India has extended in recent years with warmer night temperatures and hotter days, and this trend is expected to continue. Strategic research priorities are outlined for a range of sectors that underpin global food security, including: agriculture, ecosystem services from agriculture, climate change, international trade, water management solutions, the water-energy-food security nexus, service delivery to smallholders and women farmers, and better governance models and regional priority setting. There is a need to look beyond agriculture and invest in affordable and suitable farm technologies if the problem of food insecurity is to be addressed in a sustainable manner. Introduction Globally, agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change. This vulnerability is relatively higher in India in view of the large population depending on agriculture and poor coping capabilities of small and marginal farmers. Impacts of climate change pose a serious threat to food security. “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (World Food Summit, 1996). This definition gives rise to four dimensions of food security: availability of food, accessibility (economically and physically), utilization (the way it is used and assimilated by the human body) and stability of these three dimensions. According to the United Nations, in 2015, there are still 836 million people in the world living in extreme poverty (less than USD1.25/day) (UN, 2015). And according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), at least 70 percent of the very poor live in rural areas, most of them depending partly (or completely) on agriculture for their livelihoods. It is estimated that 500 million smallholder farms in the developing world are supporting almost 2 billion people, and in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa these small farms produce about 80 percent of the food consumed. Climate change threatens to reverse the progress made so far in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. As highlighted by the assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC), climate change augments and intensifies risks to food security for the most vulnerable countries and populations. Few of the major risks induced by climate change, as identified by IPCC have direct consequences for food security (IPCC, 2007). These are mainly to loss of rural livelihoods and income, loss of marine and coastal ecosystems, livelihoods loss of terrestrial and inland water ecosystems and food insecurity (breakdown of food systems). Rural farmers, whose livelihood depends on the use of natural resources, are likely to bear the brunt of adverse impacts. Most of the crop simulation model runs and experiments under elevated temperature and carbon dioxide indicate that by 2030, a 3-7% decline in the yield of principal cereal crops like rice and wheat is likely in India by adoption of current production technologies. Global warming impacts growth, reproduction and yields of food and horticulture crops, increases crop water requirement, causes more soil erosion, increases thermal stress on animals leading to decreased milk yields and change the distribution and breeding season of fisheries. Fast changing climatic conditions, shrinking land, water and other natural resources with rapid growing population around the globe has put many challenges before us (Mukherjee, 2014). Food is going to be second most challenging issue for mankind in time to come. India will also begin to experience more seasonal variation in temperature with more warming in the winters than summers (Christensen et al., 2007). Climate change is posing a great threat to agriculture and food security in India and it's subcontinent. Water is the most critical agricultural input in India, as 55% of the total cultivated areas do not have irrigation facilities. Currently we are able to secure food supplies under these varying conditions. Under the threat of climate variability, our food grain production system becomes quite comfortable and easily accessible for local people. India's food grain production is estimated to rise 2 per cent in 2020-21 crop years to an all-time high of 303.34 million tonnes on better output of rice, wheat, pulse and coarse cereals amid good monsoon rains last year. In the 2019-20 crop year, the country's food grain output (comprising wheat, rice, pulses and coarse cereals) stood at a record 297.5 million tonnes (MT). Releasing the second advance estimates for 2020-21 crop year, the agriculture ministry said foodgrain production is projected at a record 303.34 MT. As per the data, rice production is pegged at record 120.32 MT as against 118.87 MT in the previous year. Wheat production is estimated to rise to a record 109.24 MT in 2020-21 from 107.86 MT in the previous year, while output of coarse cereals is likely to increase to 49.36 MT from 47.75 MT. Pulses output is seen at 24.42 MT, up from 23.03 MT in 2019-20 crop year. In the non-foodgrain category, the production of oilseeds is estimated at 37.31 MT in 2020-21 as against 33.22 MT in the previous year. Sugarcane production is pegged at 397.66 MT from 370.50 MT in the previous year, while cotton output is expected to be higher at 36.54 million bales (170 kg each) from 36.07. This production figure seem to be sufficient for current population, but we need to improve more and more with vertical farming and advance agronomic and crop improvement tools for future burgeoning population figure under the milieu of climate change issue. Our rural mass and tribal people have very limited resources and they sometime complete depend on forest microhabitat. To order to ensure food and nutritional security for growing population, a new strategy needs to be initiated for growing of crops in changing climatic condition. The country has a large pool of underutilized or underexploited fruit or cereals crops which have enormous potential for contributing to food security, nutrition, health, ecosystem sustainability under the changing climatic conditions, since they require little input, as they have inherent capabilities to withstand biotic and abiotic stress. Apart from the impacts on agronomic conditions of crop productions, climate change also affects the economy, food systems and wellbeing of the consumers (Abbade, 2017). Crop nutritional quality become very challenging, as we noticed that, zinc and iron deficiency is a serious global health problem in humans depending on cereal-diet and is largely prevalent in low-income countries like Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and South-east Asia. We report inefficiency of modern-bred cultivars of rice and wheat to sequester those essential nutrients in grains as the reason for such deficiency and prevalence (Debnath et al., 2021). Keeping in mind the crop yield and nutritional quality become very daunting task to our food security issue and this can overcome with the proper and time bound research in cognizance with the environment. Threat and challenges In recent years, climate change has become a debatable issue worldwide. South Asia will be one of the most adversely affected regions in terms of impacts of climate change on agricultural yield, economic activity and trading policies. Addressing climate change is central for global future food security and poverty alleviation. The approach would need to implement strategies linked with developmental plans to enhance its adaptive capacity in terms of climate resilience and mitigation. Over time, there has been a visible shift in the global climate change initiative towards adaptation. Adaptation can complement mitigation as a cost-effective strategy to reduce climate change risks. The impact of climate change is projected to have different effects across societies and countries. Mitigation and adaptation actions can, if appropriately designed, advance sustainable development and equity both within and across countries and between generations. One approach to balancing the attention on adaptation and mitigation strategies is to compare the costs and benefits of both the strategies. The most imminent change is the increase in the atmospheric temperatures due to increase levels of GHGs (Green House Gases) i.e. carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) etc into the atmosphere. The global mean annual temperatures at the end of the 20th century were almost 0.7 degree centigrade above than those recorded at the end of the 19th century and likely to increase further by 1.8- 6.4ºC by 2100 AD. The quantity of rainfall and its distribution will be affected to a great extent resulting in more flooding. The changes in soil properties such as loss of organic matter, leaching of soil nutrients, salinization and erosion are a likely outcome of climate change in many cases. Water crisis can be a serious problem with the anticipated global warming and climate change. With increasing exploitation of natural resources and environmental pollution, the atmospheric temperature is expected to rise by 3-5 0C in next 75-100 years (www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/chapter-1). If it happens most of the rivers originating from the Himalayas may dry up and cause severe shortage of water for irrigation, suppressing agriculture production by 40-50%. There has been considerable concern in recent years about climatic changes caused by human activities and their effects on agriculture. Surface climate is always changing, but at the beginning of industrial revolution these changes have been more noticeable due to interference of human beings activity. Studies of climate change impacts on agriculture initially focused on increasing temperature. Many researchers, including reported that changes in temperature, radiation and precipitation need to be studied in order to evaluate the impact of climate change. Temperature changes can affect crop productivity. Higher temperatures may increase plant carboxilation and stimulate higher photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration rates. Meanwhile, flowering may also be partially triggered by higher temperatures, while low temperatures may reduce energy use and increased sugar storage. Changes in temperature can also affect air vapor pressure deficits, thus impacting the water use in agricultural landscapes. This coupling affects transpiration and can cause significant shifts in temperature and water loss (Mukherjee, 2017). In chickpea and other pulse crop this increase in temperature due to climate change affects to a greater extent flower numbers, pod production, pollen viability, and pistilfunction are reduced and flower and pod abortion increased under terminal heat stress which ultimately leads to hamper its productivity on large scale. There is probability of 10-40% loss in crop production in India with the expected temperature increase by 2080-2100. Rice yields in northern India during last three decades are showing a decreasing trend (Aggarwal et al., 2000). Further, the IPCC (2007) report also projected that cereal yields in seasonally dry and tropical regions like India are likely to decrease for even small local temperature increases. wheat production will be reduced by 4-5 million tonnes with the rise of every 10C temperature throughout the growing period that coincides in India with 2020-30. However, grain yield of rice declined by 10% for each 1ºC increase in growing season. A 1ºC increase in temperature may reduce rapeseed mustard yield by 3-7%. Thus a productivity of 2050-2562 kg/ha for rapeseed mustard would have to be achieved by 2030 under the changing scenario of climate, decreasing and degrading land and water resources, costly inputs, government priority of food crops and other policy imperatives from the present level of nearly 1200 kg/ha. Diseases and pest infestation In future, plant protection will assume even more significance given the daunting task before us to feed the growing population under the era of shifting climate pattern, as it directly influence pest life cycle in crop calendar (Mukherjee, 2019). Every year, about USD 8.5 billion worth of crops are lost in India because of disease and insects pests and another 2.5 billion worth of food grains in storages. In the scenario of climate change, experts believe that these losses could rise as high as four folds. Global warming and climate change would lead to emergence of more aggressive pests and diseases which can cause epidemics resulting in heavy losses (Mesterhazy et al., 2020). The range of many insects will change or expand and new combinations of diseases and pests may emerge. The well-known interaction between host × pathogen × environment for plant disease epidemic development and weather based disease management strategies have been routinely exploited by plant pathologists. However, the impact of inter annual climatic variation resulting in the abundance of pathogen populations and realistic assessment of climatic change impacts on host-pathogen interactions are still scarce and there are only handful of studies. Further emerging of new disease with climate alteration in grain crop such as wheat blast, become challenging for growers and hamper food chain availability (Mukherjee et al., 2019). Temperature increase associated with climatic changes could result in following changes in plant diseases: Extension of geographical range of pathogens Changes in population growth rates of pathogens Changes in relative abundance and effectiveness of bio control agents Changes in pathogen × host × environment interactions Loss of resistance in cultivars containing temperature-sensitive genes Emergence of new diseases/and pathogen forms Increased risk of invasion by migrant diseases Reduced efficacy of integrated disease management practices These changes will have major implications for food and nutritional security, particularly in the developing countries of the dry-tropics, where the need to increase and sustain food production is most urgent. The current knowledge on the main potential effects of climate change on plant patho systems has been recently summarized by Pautasso et al. (2012). Their overview suggests that maintaining plant health across diversified environments is a key requirement for climate change mitigation as well as the conservation of biodiversity and provisions of ecosystem services under global change. Changing in weed flora pattern under different cropping system become very challenging to the food growers, and threat to our food security issue. It has been estimated that the potential losses due to weeds in different field crops would be around 180 million tonnes valued Rs 1,05,000 crores annually. In addition to the direct effect on crop yield, weeds result in considerable reduction in the efficiency of inputs used and food quality. Increasing atmospheric CO2 and temperature have the potential to directly affect weed physiology and crop-weed interactions vis-à-vis their response to weed control methods. Many of the world’s major weeds are C4 plants and major crops are C3 plants (Mandal and Mukherjee, 2018). The differential effects of CO2 on C3 and C4 plants may have implications on crop-weed interactions. Weed species have a greater genetic diversity than most crops and therefore, under the changing scenario of resources (eg., light, moisture, nutrients, CO2), weeds will have the greater capacity for growth and reproductive response than most crops. Differential response to seed emergence with temperature could also influence species establishment and subsequent weed-crop competition. Increasing temperature might allow some sleeper weeds to become invasive (Mukherjeee, 2020; Science Daily, 2009). Studies suggest that proper weed management techniques if adopted can result in an additional production of 103 million tonnes of food grains, 15 million tonnes of pulses,10 million tonnes of oilseeds, and 52 million tonnes of commercial crops per annum, which in few cases are even equivalent to the existing annual production (Rao and Chauhan, 2015). There is tremendous scope to increase agricultural productivity by adopting improved weed management technologies that have been developed in the country. Conclusion The greatest challenge before us is to enhance the production of required amount of food items viz., cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetable, underutilized fruit etc to keep pace with population growth through employing suitable crop cultivars, biotechnological approaches, conserving natural resources and protecting crops from weeds, insects pests and diseases eco-friendly with climate change. Research is a continuous process that has to be pursued vigorously and incessantly in the critical areas viz., evolvement of new genotype, land development and reclamation, soil and moisture conservation, soil health care, seeds and planting material, enhancing fertilizer and water use efficiencies, conservation agriculture, eco-friendly plant protection measures etc. Due to complexity of crop environment interaction under different climate situation, a multidisciplinary approach to the problem is required in which plant breeders, agronomists, crop physiologists and agrometeorologists need to interact for finding long term solutions in sustaining crop production. References: Abbade, E. B. 2017. Availability, access and utilization: Identifying the main fragilities for promoting food security in developing countries. World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 14(4): 322–335. doi:10.1108/WJSTSD-05-2016-0033 Aggrawal, P.K., Bandyopadhyay, S. and Pathak, S. 2020. Analysis of yield trends of the Rice-Wheat system in north-western India. Outlook on Agriculture, 29(4):259-268. Christensen, J.H., Hewitson, B., Busuioc, A., Chen, A. and Gao, X, 2007. Regional Climate Projections. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, United Kingdom. Debnath, S., Mandal, B., Saha, S., Sarkar, D., Batabyal, K., Murmu, S., Patra, B.C., Mukherjee, and Biswas, T. 2021. Are the modern-bred rice and wheat cultivars in India inefficient in zinc and iron sequestration?. Environmental and Experimental Botany,189:1-7. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2021.104535) 2007. Climate Change 2007- Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 976pp. Mandal, B and Mukherjee, D. 2018. Influenced of different weed management Practices for Higher Productivity of Jute (Corchorus olitorius) in West Bengal. International Journal of Bioresource Science, 5 (1): 21-26. Mesterhazy, A., Olah, J. and Popp, J. 2020. Losses in the grain supply chain: causes and solutions. Sustainability, 12, 2342; doi:10.3390/su12062342. Mukherjee D. 2019. Effect of various crop establishment methods and weed management practices on growth and yield of rice. Journal of Cereal Research, 11(3): 300-303. http://doi.org/10.25174/2249-4065/2019/95811. Mukherjee, D. 2014. Climate change and its impact on Indian agriculture. In : Plant Disease Management and Microbes (eds. Nehra, S.). Aavishkar Publishers, Jaipur, India. Pp 193-206. Mukherjee, D. 2017. Rising weed problems and their effects on production potential of various crops under changing climate situation of hill. Indian Horticulture Journal, 7(1): 85-89. Mukherjee, D., Mahapatra, S., Singh, D.P., Kumar, S., Kashyap , P.L. and Singh, G.P. 2019. Threat assessment of wheat blast like disease in the West Bengal". 4th International Group Meeting on Wheat production enhancement through climate smart practices. at CSK HPKV, Palampur, HP, India, February, 14-16, 2019. Organized by CSK HPKV, Palampur and Society of Advancement of Wheat and Barley Research (SAWBAR). Journal of Cereal Research, 11 (1): 78. Mukherjee, D. 2020. Herbicide combinations effect on weeds and yield of wheat in North-Eastern plain. Indian Journal of Weed Science, 52 (2): 116–122. Pautasso, M. 2012. Observed impacts of climate change on terrestrial birds in Europe: an overview. Italian Journal of Zoology, 38:56-74. .Doi:10.1080/11250003.2011.627381 Rao, A.N. and Chauhan, B.S. 2015. Weeds and weed management in India -A Review. 25 Asian Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, at Hyderabad, India, Volume: 1 (A.N. Rao and N.T. Yaduraju (eds.). pp 87-118.
... Climate variability affects grain quality [63,64]. Zinc and iron insufficiency is frequent in low-income areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, depending on grain diets, creating a severe global human health concern [27]. A study on climate change and its impact on child malnutrition among subsistence farmers in low-income nations discovered a strong relationship between weather and child stunting [28]. ...
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Zinc application may produce grains with increased Zn, but it cannot ensure a higher bioavailable Zn in the ultimate food products prepared from the grain. The aim of the present study was to optimize Zn fertilization protocols for different wheat cultivars with a view to achieve a higher enrichment of Zn in grains, and reduced Zn-Fe antagonism and loss of Zn on processing to achieve enhanced bioavailability of Zn in flour. We evaluated the effectiveness of Zn biofortification in wheat using four criteria viz., i) magnitude of Zn sequestration in flat breads of wheat, ii) Fe retention in it, iii) maintenance of a favourable phytic acid: Zn molar ratio in breads and iv)enhanced grain yield. Zinc fertilization protocols involving its application through soil, foliar spraying or both at critical phenological stages were tested with six cultivars. Both the grains and flat breads were analysed for Zn, Fe and phytic acid. Zinc fertilization yielded Zn dense but Fe- and phytic acid-depleted grains. However, 40–75% of Zn enrichment in grains was lost during processing to prepare the breads. Zinc application through soil + foliar at maximum tillering and flowering stages with cultivar UP 262 excelled in effecting not only higher grain yield but also grain Zn biofortification that ensured a net gain in Zn in breads, and its Zn bioavailability through a reduced antagonism with Fe and phytate.
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This study aimed at evaluating i) zinc sequestration potential of ninety seven (97), eighty (80) and twelve (12) cultivars of rice, wheat and maize respectively, ii) their response to agronomic Zn biofortification, iii) its impact on Fe concentration in grains and straw/stalk and iv) Zn and Fe concentration in the food prepared from Zn biofortified grains. Zinc and Fe were estimated following standard methods in soils and the harvested grains and straws/stalks and the breads and cooked rice prepared out of the grains ofall the different cultivars of those three cereals raised with no zinc (Zn0) and Zn fertilizer (ZnSO4, 7H2O) applied through soil (as basal) + two foliar sprays at maximum tillering/6-8 leaf and flowering/silking stages (Zn1) of the crops. Zinc fertilization yielded Zn dense but Fe starved grains and straws/stalks of most of the cultivars (∼90%) of all the three cereals tested. Cultivars inherently high in Zn were stubborn to such Zn fertilization. Zinc fortified grains again yielded Zn enriched food products but with significant loss of both Zn and Fe (>60% in rice and 40% for wheat and maize) during their processing. Among the three cereals, wheat was most effective for Zn biofortification program.
Article
Effect of iron on zinc absorption by rice (Oryza sativa L. variety Jaya) seedlings and its translocation within the plant was studied in a nutrient solution culture using Zn65. Zinc absorption increased with zinc application, but decreased with increasing concentrations of iron in the nutrient medium. Total zinc uptake decreased to 85 per cent by increasing concentration of iron from 0 to 60 μM. Per cent reduction in zinc uptake was more at lower levels of zinc in the nutrient solution. The inhibitory action of iron on zinc absorption was 'non-competitive'. Translocation of zinc decreased with increasing levels of iron from 0 to 20 μM. re]19750219
Article
Micronutrients are essential to sustain life and for optimal physiological function. Widespread global micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) exist, with pregnant women and their children under 5 years at the highest risk. Iron, iodine, folate, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies are the most widespread MNDs, and all these MNDs are common contributors to poor growth, intellectual impairments, perinatal complications, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Iron deficiency is the most common MND worldwide and leads to microcytic anemia, decreased capacity for work, as well as impaired immune and endocrine function. Iodine deficiency disorder is also widespread and results in goiter, mental retardation, or reduced cognitive function. Adequate zinc is necessary for optimal immune function, and deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of diarrhea and acute respiratory infections, major causes of death in those <5 years of age. Folic acid taken in early pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects. Folate is essential for DNA synthesis and repair, and deficiency results in macrocytic anemia. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and also impairs immune function and cell differentiation. Single MNDs rarely occur alone; often, multiple MNDs coexist. The long-term consequences of MNDs are not only seen at the individual level but also have deleterious impacts on the economic development and human capital at the country level. Perhaps of greatest concern is the cycle of MNDs that persists over generations and the intergenerational consequences of MNDs that we are only beginning to understand. Prevention of MNDs is critical and traditionally has been accomplished through supplementation, fortification, and food-based approaches including diversification. It is widely accepted that intervention in the first 1,000 days is critical to break the cycle of malnutrition; however, a coordinated, sustainable commitment to scaling up nutrition at the global level is still needed. Understanding the epidemiology of MNDs is critical to understand what intervention strategies will work best under different conditions. © 2015 National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism published by S. Karger AG, Basel.
Article
Genetic diversity among 80 irrigated bread wheat genotypes was studied for their grain’s protein, iron and zinc concentrations as well as agronomic traits. The trend of these traits over the 70 years of cultivar releasing was demonstrated. The experiment was conducted as a RCBD with three replicates under normal and terminal drought stress conditions in Kermanshah, Iran during 2011–2012 cropping season. The results of combined ANOVA revealed high significant genotypic differences for all traits, except grain iron and zinc yield. Terminal drought stress reduced all studied traits except grain iron concentration which it increased by 14.10%. The maximum effect of drought stress was on grain zinc yield, grain yield and thousand grain weight as much as 26.65, 23.48 and 18% reduction, respectively. In both conditions, there were negative correlations among grain yield and grain iron, zinc and protein concentrations. Moreover, it was found that grain yield was increased with a small improvement during 70 years while protein, iron and zinc concentrations were decreased over the years. A wide range of genetic diversity in micronutrients uptake, particularly iron and zinc within studied wheat genotypes was identified which suggesting that selection for improved micronutrients efficiency is possible. What was concluded from this study is breeders’ attention to enhancing grain production caused to neglect the quality of wheat production specially protein, iron and zinc concentrations during the last 70 years.
Article
A DTPA soil test was developed to identify near‐neutral and calcareous soils with insufficient available Zn, Fe, Mn, or Cu for maximum yields of crops. The extractant consists of 0.005 M DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), 0.1 M triethanolamine, and 0.01 M CaCl 2 , with a pH of 7.3. The soil test consists of shaking 10 g of air‐dry soil with 20 ml of extractant for 2 hours. The leachate is filtered, and Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu are measured in the filtrate by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The soil test successfully separated 77 Colorado soils on the basis of crop response to Zn, Fe, and Mn fertilizers. Critical nutrient levels must be determined separately for each crop using standardized procedures for soil preparation, grinding, and extraction. The critical levels for corn using the procedures reported herein were: 0.8 ppm for Zn, 4.5 ppm for Fe, and tentatively 1.0 ppm for Mn, and 0.2 ppm for Cu. Development of the soil test was based, in part, on theoretical considerations. The extractant is buffered at pH 7.30 and contains CaCl 2 so that equilibrium with CaCO 3 is established at a CO 2 level about 10 times that of the atmosphere. Thus, the extractant precludes dissolution of CaCO 3 and the release of occluded nutrients which are normally not available to plants. DTPA was selected as the chelating agent because it can effectively extract all four micronutrient metals. Factors such as pH, concentration of chelating agent, time of shaking, and temperature of extraction affect the amount of micronutrients extracted and were adjusted for maximum overall effectiveness.
Article
Periods of maximum hard red spring (HRS) wheat (Jriticum aestivum L.) nutrient demand need to be determined in order to develop best nutrient management practices, and to provide data for nutrient uptake modeling. Aerial (aboveground biomass) whole plant samples of irrigated HRS wheat were collected from the field at 16 growth stages and separated into leaves, stems, heads, and grain for dry matter determinations and analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cu concentrations. Accumulation curves were computed for each plant part for the growing season from compound cubic polynomial models based on accumulated growing degree units (GDUs). Total aerial accumulations of dry matter, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cu were 14400, 116, 30.8, 103, 9.2, 9.3, 15.2, 32.3, 0.18, 0.58, 2.05, and 0.045 kg/ha, respectively. Grain at maturity accumulated greater than 78% of the total aerial N, P, and Zn, while it contained less than 20% of the aerial accumulated K, Ca, Cl, and Fe. Nitrogen and Fe were rapidly accumulated near 200 GDU, while P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, Zn, Mn, and Cu were most rapidly accumulated near 600 GDU. Accumulation rates were 183, 2.9, 0.90, 0.72, 0.008, 1.41, 0.29, and 0.12 kg/ha/d for dry matter, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and Cl, respectively, and 136, 1.7, 0.48, 0.13, 0.004, 0.78, 0.20, and 0.02 g/ha/d, respectively, during grainfill. This plant information suggests the timing of in‐season nutrient applications, and when integrated with other agronomic practices could improve overall nutrient management for HRS wheat in the northern Great Plains.
Article
The variations in major and minor element concentrations in winter wheat grain from a UK survey and from three experiments on farms with high yields (>10tha−1) are given. In the survey, the concentrations of P, K, S, Ca and Mg varied twofold, the elements Fe, Zn and Cu varied threefold, whilst Mn varied by a factor of five. Small varietal differences in grain composition were detected. In the field experiments only the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and S changed significantly as yields increased, and most of the changes were positive, except for Mn, which did not increase with yield. Foliar fungicidal sprays containing Mn increased grain Mn in 1981 and 1982, but S-containing sprays did not alter grain S in 1983. The offtakes of all the elements studied are given both nationally and for high and low yields on the three farms. These offtakes are compared with the inputs of P, K and Mg in fertilisers and the likely inputs of S from the atmosphere.
Article
The yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell) has greatly improved through breeding, but it is not known how this has affected seed micronutrient content. In the present study, the iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) content of seed of 14 US hard red winter wheat varieties from production eras spanning more than a century was measured. The seed that was analyzed was obtained from a replicated field trial conducted at two locations in Kansas. The Fe, Zn, and Cu content was obtained by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICPES) and Se content was obtained by hydride-generated atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Significant effects of location on micronutrient content of seed were observed. Similarly, depending on the micronutrient, significant differences in seed micronutrient content between varieties were detected at one or both locations. A significant negative regression of seed Zn content on both yield and variety release date was observed at both locations, while seed Fe content exhibited a significant negative regression on yield and variety release date at one location. Regression of seed Se content on variety release date was significant and negative at one location. These results suggest that genetic gains in the yield of US hard red winter wheat have tended to reduce seed Fe, Zn, and Se concentrations. However, the extent to which this effect manifests itself is influenced by environmental effects. Published in 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Article
Effect of copper on zinc absorption by wheat (Triticum aestivum L. variety WG 357) seedlings and its translocation within the plant was studied in a nutrient solution culture using Zn65. Zinc absorption was increased linearly with time within the limits studied (upto 80 minutes). It decreased, however, with increasing concentration of copper in nutrient solution. Plotting of the reciprocals of rates of zinc absorption vs zinc concentration showed that copper concentration in the nutrient solution inhibited zinc absorption, and this inhibition was competitive. Copper decreased only the absorption of zinc but not its translocation from roots to shoots. re]19750219
Article
Mineral deficiencies are prevalent in human populations and the improvement of the mineral content in cereal products represents a possible strategy to increase the human mineral intake. Nevertheless, most of the inorganic phosphorus (Pi) present in mature cereal seeds (40–80%) is stored as phytate, an anti-nutritional factor that forms complexes with minerals such as Ca, Mg, Zn and Fe reducing their bioavailability. The present study was undertaken: (i) to determine the variation in phytate and mineral concentrations in the whole grains of 84 Italian durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars representative of old and modern germplasm; (ii) to estimate the magnitude of genotype × environment interaction effects; and (iii) to examine the interrelationships among mineral concentrations in durum wheat with the final aim to identify superior durum wheat cultivars that possess low phytate content and high concentration of mineral elements in their whole-wheat flour. The cultivars were grown in field trials during 2004–2005 at Foggia, Italy and during 2005–2006 at Foggia and Fiorenzuola d’Arda—Southern and Northern Italy. The phytate content was estimated indirectly by using a microtitre plate assay evaluating the Pi absorbance at 820 nm, while the Cu, Fe, Mn, Ca, K, Mg, Na and Zn mineral contents were determined by ICP/OES. The contents of Zn and Fe across years and locations ranged from 28.5 to 46.3 mg/kg for Zn with an average of 37.4 mg/kg and from 33.6 to 65.6 mg/kg for Fe with an average of 49.6 mg/kg. Pi grain content was between 0.46 and 0.76 mg/g showing a positive correlation with all minerals except Cu and Zn. Although breeding activity for Fe and Zn would be difficult because G × E interaction is prevalent, multi-location evaluation of germplasm collection help to identify superior genotypes to achieve this objective. The results here reported open the possibility of designing a specific breeding program for improving the nutritional value of durum wheat through the identification of parental lines with low-Pi and high minerals concentration in whole grains.
Article
Wheat is an important source of minerals such as iron, zinc, copper and magnesium in the UK diet. The dietary intake of these nutrients has fallen in recent years because of a combination of reduced energy requirements associated with sedentary lifestyles and changes in dietary patterns associated with lower micronutrient density in the diet. Recent publications using data from food composition tables indicate a downward trend in the mineral content of foods and it has been suggested that intensive farming practices may result in soil depletion of minerals. The aim of our study was to evaluate changes in the mineral concentration of wheat using a robust approach to establish whether trends are due to plant factors (e.g. cultivar, yield) or changes in soil nutrient concentration. The mineral concentration of archived wheat grain and soil samples from the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment (established in 1843 at Rothamsted, UK) was determined and trends over time examined in relation to cultivar, yield, and harvest index. The concentrations of zinc, iron, copper and magnesium remained stable between 1845 and the mid 1960s, but since then have decreased significantly, which coincided with the introduction of semi-dwarf, high-yielding cultivars. In comparison, the concentrations in soil have either increased or remained stable. Similarly decreasing trends were observed in different treatments receiving no fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers or organic manure. Multiple regression analysis showed that both increasing yield and harvest index were highly significant factors that explained the downward trend in grain mineral concentration.
Article
Contamination of heavy metals represents one of the most pressing threats to water and soil resources as well as human health. Phytoremediation can be potentially used to remediate metal-contaminated sites. This study evaluated the potential of 36plants (17species) growing on a contaminated site in North Florida. Plants and the associated soil samples were collected and analyzed for total metal concentrations. While total soil Pb, Cu, and Zn concentrations varied from 90 to 4100, 20 to 990, and 195 to 2200mg kg(-1), those in the plants ranged from 2.0 to 1183, 6.0 to 460, and 17 to 598mg kg(-1), respectively. None of the plants were suitable for phytoextraction because no hyperaccumulator was identified. However, plants with a high bioconcentration factor (BCF, metal concentration ratio of plant roots to soil) and low translocation factor (TF, metal concentration ratio of plant shoots to roots) have the potential for phytostabilization. Among the plants, Phyla nodiflora was the most efficient in accumulating Cu and Zn in its shoots (TF=12 and 6.3) while Gentiana pennelliana was most suitable for phytostabilization of sites contaminated with Pb, Cu and Zn (BCF=11, 22 and 2.6). Plant uptake of the three metals was highly correlated, whereas translocation of Pb was negatively correlated with Cu and Zn though translocation of Cu and Zn were correlated. Our study showed that native plant species growing on contaminated sites may have the potential for phytoremediation.
Zinc in Soils and Crop Nutrition. International Zinc Association and International Fertilizer Association
  • B J Alloway
Alloway, B.J., 2008. Zinc in Soils and Crop Nutrition. International Zinc Association and International Fertilizer Association, Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France.
Micronutrients Research in India: Retrospect and Prospects. Preprint, FAI Annual Seminar
  • A K Shukla
  • S K Behera
Shukla, A.K., Behera, S.K., 2017. Micronutrients Research in India: Retrospect and Prospects. Preprint, FAI Annual Seminar.. The Fertiliser Association of India, New Delhi, pp. SII-4/1-SII-4/17.