Summary
This field-based study by Cakmak and colleagues investigates agronomic biofortification of durum wheat with zinc, comparing soil and foliar zinc fertilisation approaches as practical means of increasing grain zinc content. Published in the Journal of Plant Nutrition, the paper likely demonstrates that foliar zinc application is particularly effective at elevating grain zinc concentrations without markedly affecting yield. The findings contribute to the evidence base for addressing zinc deficiency in populations reliant on wheat-based diets, particularly in regions with zinc-depleted soils.
UK applicability
Although this study was likely conducted in Turkey, where zinc-deficient soils are widespread, the findings are relevant to UK arable systems where grain mineral density is increasingly of interest for human nutrition and sustainable intensification agendas. UK growers and advisers may consider foliar zinc application as a cost-effective strategy for improving wheat nutritional quality, particularly on lighter or high-pH soils where zinc availability is reduced.
Key measures
Grain zinc concentration (mg/kg); grain yield (t/ha); zinc use efficiency; fertiliser application method (soil vs. foliar)
Outcomes reported
The study examined the effect of zinc fertilisation methods — including soil-applied and foliar-applied zinc — on grain zinc concentration and yield in durum wheat. It likely reported zinc accumulation in grain (mg/kg) under different fertilisation treatments across field conditions.
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