Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries
Micronutrient malnutrition is a global health challenge affecting almost half of the global population, causing poor physical and mental development of children and a wide range of illnesses. It is most prevalent in young girls, women, and pre-school children who are suffering particularly from the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/452 |
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| author | Aysha Kiran Abdul Wakeel Khalid Mahmood Rafia Mubaraka Hafsa Stephan M. Haefele |
| author_facet | Aysha Kiran Abdul Wakeel Khalid Mahmood Rafia Mubaraka Hafsa Stephan M. Haefele |
| author_sort | Aysha Kiran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Micronutrient malnutrition is a global health challenge affecting almost half of the global population, causing poor physical and mental development of children and a wide range of illnesses. It is most prevalent in young girls, women, and pre-school children who are suffering particularly from the low consumption of vitamins and micronutrients. Given this global challenge, biofortification has proven to be a promising and economical approach to increase the concentration of essential micronutrients in edible portions of staple crops. Produce quality and micronutrient content can be further enhanced with the use of micronutrient fertilizers. Especially developing countries with a high percentage of malnourished populations are attracted to this integrated biofortification, combining modern agronomic interventions and genetic improvement of food crops. Consequently, maize, rice, wheat, beans, pearl millet, sweet potato, and cassava have all been biofortified with increased concentrations of Fe, Zn, or provitamin A in various developing countries. Today, there are several large-scale success stories in Africa and Asia that support the research and development of biofortified crops. In this review, we summarized what has been achieved to date and how edible crops can be further improved by integrating agronomic and genetic strategies to upgrade the nutritional status of children and adults around the world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:50:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c03544610eb34b3f82102fb08ac0957e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:50:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-c03544610eb34b3f82102fb08ac0957e2023-11-23T18:22:18ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-02-0112245210.3390/agronomy12020452Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing CountriesAysha Kiran0Abdul Wakeel1Khalid Mahmood2Rafia Mubaraka3Hafsa4Stephan M. Haefele5Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, PakistanInstitute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, PakistanRothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UKDepartment of Geography, University of Koblenz-Landau, 56070 Koblenz, GermanyDepartment of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, PakistanRothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UKMicronutrient malnutrition is a global health challenge affecting almost half of the global population, causing poor physical and mental development of children and a wide range of illnesses. It is most prevalent in young girls, women, and pre-school children who are suffering particularly from the low consumption of vitamins and micronutrients. Given this global challenge, biofortification has proven to be a promising and economical approach to increase the concentration of essential micronutrients in edible portions of staple crops. Produce quality and micronutrient content can be further enhanced with the use of micronutrient fertilizers. Especially developing countries with a high percentage of malnourished populations are attracted to this integrated biofortification, combining modern agronomic interventions and genetic improvement of food crops. Consequently, maize, rice, wheat, beans, pearl millet, sweet potato, and cassava have all been biofortified with increased concentrations of Fe, Zn, or provitamin A in various developing countries. Today, there are several large-scale success stories in Africa and Asia that support the research and development of biofortified crops. In this review, we summarized what has been achieved to date and how edible crops can be further improved by integrating agronomic and genetic strategies to upgrade the nutritional status of children and adults around the world.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/452micronutrientsdeveloping countriesagronomic biofortificationgenetic biofortificationmalnutritionhidden hunger |
| spellingShingle | Aysha Kiran Abdul Wakeel Khalid Mahmood Rafia Mubaraka Hafsa Stephan M. Haefele Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries Agronomy micronutrients developing countries agronomic biofortification genetic biofortification malnutrition hidden hunger |
| title | Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries |
| title_full | Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries |
| title_fullStr | Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries |
| title_short | Biofortification of Staple Crops to Alleviate Human Malnutrition: Contributions and Potential in Developing Countries |
| title_sort | biofortification of staple crops to alleviate human malnutrition contributions and potential in developing countries |
| topic | micronutrients developing countries agronomic biofortification genetic biofortification malnutrition hidden hunger |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/452 |
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