Summary
This paper, published in the Journal of Cereal Science in 2007, reviews strategies for biofortifying wheat with zinc and iron, addressing micronutrient deficiencies that affect a large proportion of populations reliant on wheat-based diets. The authors, associated with CIMMYT-led research programmes, likely synthesise evidence on both agronomic approaches (notably foliar zinc application) and genetic variation among wheat germplasm. The paper is considered a foundational reference in the wheat biofortification literature and informs HarvestPlus and related international programmes.
UK applicability
While the research is primarily orientated towards wheat production in developing regions where zinc and iron deficiency are acute public health concerns, the agronomic findings — particularly regarding foliar zinc application — are broadly applicable to UK wheat production, where soil zinc availability can be limiting and grain micronutrient density is of growing interest.
Key measures
Grain zinc concentration (mg/kg); grain iron concentration (mg/kg); yield (t/ha); bioavailability indicators
Outcomes reported
The study examined approaches to increasing grain zinc and iron concentrations in wheat, likely reporting on agronomic interventions (such as foliar fertilisation) and genetic/breeding strategies and their effects on grain micronutrient density.
Topic tags
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