Summary
Published in Better Crops — the International Plant Nutrition Institute's practitioner journal — this narrative review by Mikkelsen (2018) synthesises evidence on how soil fertility and plant nutrition practices affect the micronutrient content of food crops and the downstream implications for human health. The paper likely argues that agronomic interventions, including targeted fertilisation strategies, can serve as cost-effective tools for addressing micronutrient deficiencies in human populations. It situates crop nutrition management within a broader food systems and public health context, bridging agronomy and nutritional science.
UK applicability
Although the paper is international in scope and reflects IPNI's global remit, the principles are directly applicable to UK arable and horticultural systems, where selenium deficiency in soils and declining micronutrient density in staple crops are recognised concerns; UK agronomists and policymakers may find the fertilisation strategies discussed relevant to soil health and food quality objectives.
Key measures
Crop mineral concentration (e.g. zinc, iron, selenium, iodine); fertiliser application rates; human dietary reference intakes; nutrient density of harvested produce
Outcomes reported
The paper examines how crop plant nutrition — particularly mineral fertilisation and soil nutrient management — influences the concentration of essential nutrients in food crops and, consequently, human dietary intake and health outcomes.
Topic tags
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