Summary
This narrative review synthesises contemporary biotechnological strategies for developing staple crops with enhanced micronutrient density, particularly targeting cereals, tubers and root crops in resource-poor regions. The authors argue that micronutrient-enriched crops exhibit greater resilience to environmental stress and that integrating genetic engineering, conventional breeding and agronomic practices offers complementary pathways to address micronutrient deficiency. The paper contextualises these approaches within the challenges posed by climate change and soil degradation.
UK applicability
Whilst the paper focuses on resource-limited regions, UK crop breeding and biotechnology sectors may adopt enhanced micronutrient breeding objectives to improve dietary quality of domestically grown staples and reduce reliance on fortified processed foods. However, UK regulatory frameworks for genetic modification differ substantially from many target regions, limiting direct translatability of some approaches.
Key measures
Micronutrient content and bioavailability in staple crops (cereals, tubers, roots); crop resilience to abiotic stress; applicability to resource-limited agricultural systems
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises biotechnological approaches—including genetic engineering, conventional breeding, and agronomic interventions—for improving micronutrient bioavailability in staple crops. It examines how enhanced micronutrient density may increase crop resilience to environmental stress and addresses deficiency challenges in resource-poor regions.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.