Summary
This 2021 review, published in Agronomy, examines mineral biofortification as a sustainable approach to combating micronutrient malnutrition globally. It likely synthesises evidence on both agronomic biofortification (soil and foliar applications of mineral fertilisers) and genetic/breeding approaches, evaluating their comparative efficacy and feasibility. The paper situates biofortification within broader food systems sustainability frameworks, considering scalability and cost-effectiveness relative to conventional supplementation and fortification programmes.
UK applicability
Findings are broadly applicable to UK arable systems, particularly regarding selenium and iodine deficiencies in British soils, where agronomic biofortification of wheat and other cereals has documented policy relevance. UK practitioners and policymakers working on soil mineral status and public health nutrition may find the comparative strategy analysis pertinent to domestic programmes.
Key measures
Mineral concentration in edible crop tissue (mg/kg); bioavailability estimates; micronutrient deficiency prevalence indicators
Outcomes reported
The paper reviews approaches to increasing mineral concentrations in staple crops through agronomic and genetic biofortification strategies, assessing their potential to reduce micronutrient deficiencies in human populations. It likely examines the effectiveness of different biofortification methods across key minerals such as zinc, iron, selenium, and iodine.
Topic tags
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