Summary
This short review by leading soil scientists at Rothamsted Research examines biofortification as a strategy to increase micronutrient content in staple food crops, synthesising evidence on both agronomic approaches—such as selenium or zinc fertilisation—and plant breeding strategies. The authors evaluate the comparative effectiveness and practical implementation of these interventions within the broader context of micronutrient deficiency as a public health challenge, particularly in populations reliant on plant-based diets.
Regional applicability
The agronomic approaches reviewed are directly applicable to United Kingdom cereal and arable production, where soil micronutrient status and crop nutrient density are pertinent to both domestic food security and export quality. The findings may inform UK agricultural policy on micronutrient fortification programmes and breeding priorities for staple crops.
Key measures
Micronutrient concentration in staple crops (selenium, zinc, and other trace elements); effectiveness of soil versus foliar fertilisation; impact of plant breeding on nutrient density
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises evidence on the effectiveness of agronomic interventions (soil and foliar fertilisation with micronutrients such as selenium and zinc) and plant breeding strategies in increasing micronutrient density of staple food crops. It evaluates the comparative efficacy and practical feasibility of these biofortification approaches for addressing micronutrient deficiency in populations dependent on plant-based diets.
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