scholarly journals Quantify the Requirements to Achieve Grain Zn Biofortification of High-yield Wheat on Calcareous Soils

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sen Wang ◽  
Zhaohui Wang ◽  
Shasha Li ◽  
Chaopeng Diao ◽  
Lu Liu ◽  
...  

AbstractThe solution to address global human Zn deficiency is Zn biofortification of staple food crops, aimed at high grain Zn concentration as well as high yield. However, the desired high grain Zn concentration above 40 mg kg-1 is rarely observed for high-yield wheat on worldwide calcareous soils, due to inadequate Zn uptake or Zn distribution to grain. The present study aims to investigate how much Zn uptake or distribution is adequate to achieve the Zn.t of high-yield wheat on calcareous soils with low available Zn (∼ 0.5 mg kg-1). Of the 123 cultivars tested in a three-year field experiment, 19 high-yield cultivars were identified with similar yields around 7.0 t ha-1 and various grain Zn concentrations from 9.3 to 26.7 mg kg-1. The adequate Zn distribution to grain was defined from the view of Zn biofortification, as the situation where the Zn distribution to grain (Zn harvest index) increased to the observed maximum of ∼ 91.0% and the Zn concentration of vegetative parts (straw Zn concentration) decreased to the observed minimum of ∼ 1.5 mg kg-1 (Zn.m). Under the assumed condition of adequate Zn distribution to grain (∼ 91.0%), all the extra Zn above Zn.m was remobilized from straw to grain and the grain Zn concentration would be increased to its highest attainable level, which was 14.5 ∼ 31.3 mg kg-1 for the 19 high-yield cultivars but still lower than 40 mg kg-1. Thus, even with the adequate Zn distribution to grain, the current Zn uptake is still not adequate and needs to be increased to 308 g ha-1 or higher to achieve Zn.t for high-yield wheat (7.0 t ha-1) on low-Zn calcareous soils. Besides, the established method here can also provide the priority measures and quantitative guidelines to achieve Zn biofortification in other wheat production regions.

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.H.C. RUBIANES ◽  
B.P. MALLIKARJUNA SWAMY ◽  
S.E. JOHNSON-BEEBOUT

SUMMARYAs zinc (Zn) fertilizer and water management affect the expression of Zn-enriched grain traits in rice, we studied the effect of Zn fertilizer and water management on Zn uptake and grain yield of different biofortification breeding lines and the possible biases in selection for high grain Zn content. The first field experiment showed that longer duration genotypes had higher grain Zn uptake rate than shorter duration genotypes during grain filling. In the first greenhouse experiment, neither application of Zn fertilizer at mid-tillering nor application at flowering significantly increased the grain Zn concentration. In the second greenhouse experiment, application of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) significantly increased the available soil Zn and plant Zn uptake but not grain Zn concentration. Terminal drying (TD) did not increase the available soil Zn or grain Zn contents. The second field experiment confirmed that differences in TD were not important in understanding differences between genotypes. Zn application is not always necessary to breeding trials unless there is a severe Zn deficiency and there is no need to carefully regulate TD prior to harvest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sen Wang ◽  
Zikang Guo ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Fan Jiang ◽  
...  

An effective solution to global human zinc (Zn) deficiency is Zn biofortification of staple food crops, which has been hindered by the low available Zn in calcareous soils worldwide. Many culturable soil microbes have been reported to increase Zn availability in the laboratory, while the status of these microbes in fields and whether there are unculturable Zn-mobilizing microbes remain unexplored. Here, we use the culture-independent metagenomic sequencing to investigate the rhizosphere microbiome of three high-Zn (HZn) and three low-Zn (LZn) wheat cultivars in a field experiment with calcareous soils. The average grain Zn concentration of HZn was higher than the Zn biofortification target 40 mg kg–1, while that of LZn was lower than 40 mg kg–1. Metagenomic sequencing and analysis showed large microbiome difference between wheat rhizosphere and bulk soil but small difference between HZn and LZn. Most of the rhizosphere-enriched microbes in HZn and LZn were in common, including many of the previously reported soil Zn-mobilizing microbes. Notably, 30 of the 32 rhizosphere-enriched species exhibiting different abundances between HZn and LZn possess the functional genes involved in soil Zn mobilization, especially the synthesis and exudation of organic acids and siderophores. Most of the abundant potential Zn-mobilizing species were positively correlated with grain Zn concentration and formed a module with strong interspecies relations in the co-occurrence network of abundant rhizosphere-enriched microbes. The potential Zn-mobilizing species, especially Massilia and Pseudomonas, may contribute to the cultivars’ variation in grain Zn concentration, and they deserve further investigation in future studies on Zn biofortification.


Human zinc (Zn) deficiency is a worldwide problem, especially in developing countries due to the prevalence of cereals in the diet. Among different alleviation strategies, genetic Zn biofortification is considered a sustainable approach. However, it may depend on Zn availability from soils. We grew Zincol-16 (genetically-Zn-biofortified wheat) and Faisalabad-08 (widely grown standard wheat) in pots with (8 mg kg−1) or without Zn application. The cultivars were grown in a low-Zn calcareous soil. The grain yield of both cultivars was significantly (P≤0.05) increased with that without Zn application. As compared to Faisalabad-08, Zincol-16 had 23 and 41% more grain Zn concentration respectively at control and applied rate of Zn. Faisalabad-08 accumulated about 18% more grain Zn concentration with Zn than Zincol-16 without Zn application. A near target level of grain Zn concentration (36 mg kg−1) was achieved in Zincol-16 only with Zn fertilisation. Over all, the findings clearly signify the importance of agronomic Zn biofortification of genetically Zn-biofortified wheat grown on a low-Zn calcareous soil.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muneta G. Manzeke-Kangara ◽  
Edward J. M. Joy ◽  
Florence Mtambanengwe ◽  
Prosper Chopera ◽  
Michael J. Watts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Dietary zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with adverse impacts on human health. Agronomic biofortification with Zn fertilizers and improved soil fertility management, using mineral and organic nutrient resources, has previously been shown to increase Zn concentration of staple grain crops, including maize. Here, we show the potential of different soil fertility management options on maize crops to reduce dietary Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe using secondary data from a set of surveys and field experiments. Methods An ex-ante approach was used, informed by published evidence from studies in three contrasting smallholder production systems in Zimbabwe. To estimate current Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe, data on dietary Zn supply from non-maize sources from the Global Expanded Nutrient Supply (GENuS) data set were linked to maize grain Zn composition observed under typical current soil fertility management scenarios. Results A baseline dietary Zn deficiency prevalence of 68% was estimated from a reference maize grain Zn composition value of 16.6 mg kg−1 and an estimated dietary Zn intake of 9.3 mg capita−1 day−1 from all food sources. The potential health benefits of reducing Zn deficiency using different soil fertility management scenarios were quantified within a Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) framework. A scenario using optimal mineral NPK fertilizers and locally available organic nutrient resources (i.e. cattle manure and woodland leaf litter), but without additional soil Zn fertilizer applications, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 19.3 mg kg−1. This would reduce the estimated prevalence of dietary Zn deficiency to 55%, potentially saving 2238 DALYs year−1. Universal adoption of optimal fertilizers, to include soil Zn applications and locally available organic leaf litter, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 32.4 mg kg−1 and reduce dietary Zn deficiency to 16.7%, potentially saving 9119 DALYs year−1. Potential monetized yield gains from adopting improved soil fertility management range from 49- to 158-fold larger than the potential reduction in DALYs, if the latter are monetized using standard methods. Conclusion Farmers should be incentivized to adopt improved soil fertility management to improve both crop yield and quality.


2017 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Heerema ◽  
Dawn VanLeeuwen ◽  
Marisa Y. Thompson ◽  
Joshua D. Sherman ◽  
Mary J. Comeau ◽  
...  

Zinc deficiency is common in pecan (Carya illinoinensis) grown in alkaline, calcareous soils. Zinc (Zn)-deficient pecan leaves exhibit interveinal chlorosis, decreased leaf thickness, and reduced photosynthetic capacity. Low photosynthesis (Pn) contributes to restricted vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting of Zn-deficient pecan trees. Our objectives were to measure effects of soil-applied ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-chelated Zn fertilizer on gas exchange of immature ‘Wichita’ pecan and characterize the relationship between leaf Zn concentration and Pn. The study orchard had alkaline and calcareous soils and was planted in Spring 2011. Zinc was applied throughout each growing season as Zn EDTA through microsprinklers at rates of 0 (Control), 2.2, or 4.4 kg·ha−1 Zn. Leaf gas exchange and SPAD were measured on one occasion in the 2012 growing season, four in 2013, and five in 2014. Soil Zn-EDTA applications significantly increased the leaf tissue Zn concentration throughout the study. On all measurement occasions, net Pn was significantly increased by soil-applied Zn EDTA compared with the control, but Pn was not different between the two soil-applied Zn-EDTA treatments. Leaf Pn in midseason did not increase at leaf tissue Zn concentrations above 14–22 mg·kg−1. Leaf SPAD consistently followed a similar pattern to Pn. Soil Zn-EDTA application increased leaf stomatal conductance (gS) compared with the Control early through midseason but not after August. Intercellular CO2 concentration was significantly lower for Zn-EDTA-treated trees than the Control even on dates when there was no significant difference in gs, which suggests that soil application of Zn-EDTA alleviated nonstomatal limitations to Pn caused by Zn deficiency.


1978 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Chesters ◽  
Marie Will

1.65Zn uptake by blood cells in vitro has been compared with plasma Zn concentration and plasma alkaline phosphatase (EC3.1.3.1) activity as indicators of an animal's Zn status.2. Dietary Zn deficiency, low food intake, reduced dietary protein content and endotoxin administration all reduced plasma Zn concentration in the rat. In each case there was a parallel reduction in plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and an increase in65Zn uptake in vitro by cells of whole blood.3. A similar relationship between the three measurements existed in sheep with lowered plasma Zn concentrations whether these were caused by dietary deficiency or by post-surgical stress.4.65Zn uptake by cells of whole blood did not differentiate dietary Zn deficiency from the other factors which reduce plasma Zn under ‘field’ conditions.5.65Zn uptake by the cells in whole blood in vitro was three to five times less rapid in blood of ruminant origin than in that from non-ruminants. This difference related to the erythrocytes rather than to the leukocytes or the plasma.


2019 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid ABDOLI ◽  
Ezatollah ESFANDIARI ◽  
Aliasghar ALILOO ◽  
Behzad SADEGHZADEH ◽  
Seyed-Bahman MOUSAVI

Screening of cash crops to tolerate and grow under low levels of micronutrients is important issue in the plant breeding programs. Thus, the study screened the tolerance of 50 wheat genotypes to zinc (Zn) deficiency in the calcareous soil. The Zn treatment was carried out with application of 5 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> (+Zn) and without (-Zn) to the collected soils with initial Zn extractable of 0.5 mg Zn kg<sup>-1</sup> soil. The results revealed that the supplementary application significantly increased shoot dry matter, shoot Zn concentration and shoot Zn content compared to the without Zn application (control), but Zn utilization decreased under Zn application. There was considerable genetic variation in Zn efficiency (55 - 118 %), shoot Zn concentration (11.8 - 27.0 and 14.3 - 39.6 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> DM under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively), shoot Zn content (0.56 - 2.02 and 0.90 - 2.83 µg plant<sup>-1</sup>, under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively) and Zn utilization efficiency (39 - 87.2 and 31.2 - 71.5 mg DM µg<sup>-1</sup> Zn under deficient and sufficient Zn, respectively) within wheat genotypes. Cluster analysis based on Zn efficiency, and shoot dry matter at deficient and adequate Zn conditions classified the genotypes into four clusters. Over the two conditions, the most Zn-efficient and Zn-unefficient genotypes were ‘Ankara-98’ and ‘Altintoprak-98’ and ‘Pg"S’ and ‘Zarin’, respectively. Most durum genotypes had a greater Zn efficiency than modern bread wheat genotypes, therefore these genotypes could be effectively used to breed the new cultivars with high Zn efficiency for calcareous soils.


Author(s):  
Narjes Moshfeghi ◽  
Mostafa Heidari ◽  
Hamid Reza Asghari ◽  
Mehdi Baradaran Firoz Abadi ◽  
Lynette K. Abbott ◽  
...  

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a global micronutrient problem in agricultural systems. The main target of this experiment was to investigate the effectiveness of foliar application of Zn under field conditions. Grain yield and Zn concentration in seed were assessed with three replicate plots per treatment in a factorial (2 x 3 x 2) experiment for two barley cultivars (Yusuf and Julgeh), three foliar ZnO applications (nano, ordinary and nano+ordinary ZnO) and two commercial inocula of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (F. mosseae and R. irregularis). Among all Zn foliar applications, Zn applied in both nano and nano+ordinary forms were labile and resulted in the highest Zn concentration in grain of both barley cultivars. Cultivar Julgeh had higher grain Zn concentrations than did cultivar Yusuf in the same treatments. Nano ZnO was more effective than the ordinary form of ZnO and had the highest potential to improve physiological traits, plant growth and yield parameters in both cultivars. There was also a positive impact of the nano form of ZnO on phytase activity and carbonic anhydrase concentration in both barley cultivars. Inoculation with commercial inocula of AM fungi also enhanced grain Zn concentration, with Julgeh more responsive to inoculation with F. mosseae, and Yusuf more responsive to inoculation with R. irregularis. Generally, the combined application of Zn and inoculation with AM fungi improved physiological traits, grain yield and Zn availability to these two barley cultivars grown under field conditions. Accordingly, the nano form of Zn positively enhanced shoot morphological parameters, physiological parameters and grain Zn concentration. Application of the nano form ZnO in combination with inoculation with AM fungi had the most beneficial effects on grain Zn concentration, so this combined practice may have potential to reduce the requirement for application of synthetic Zn chemical fertilizers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessio Cardini ◽  
Elisa Pellegrino ◽  
Philip J. White ◽  
Barbara Mazzolai ◽  
Marco C. Mascherpa ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTZinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals, and Zn deficiency is one of the most widespread problems for agricultural production. Although many studies have been performed on the biofortification of staple crops with Zn, few studies have focused on forage crops. In this study the molecular mechanisms of Zn transport-related in Medicago sativa L. were investigated following foliar Zn applications aimed at increasing the accumulation of Zn in edible tissues. Zinc uptake and redistribution between shoot and root were determined following the application of six Zn doses to leaves (0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 10 mg Zn plant-1). Twelve putative genes encoding proteins involved in Zn transport (MsZIP1-7, MsZIF1, MsMTP1, MsYSL1, MsHMA4 and MsNAS1) were identified and the changes in their expression following foliar Zn application were quantified using newly designed RT-qPCR assays. Shoot and root Zn concentration was increased following foliar Zn applications ≥ 0.1 mg plant-1. Increased expression of MsZIP2, MsHMA4 and MsNAS1 in shoots, and of MsZIP2 and MsHMA4 in roots, was observed with the largest Zn dose. By contrast, MsZIP3 was downregulated in shoots at Zn doses ≥ 0.1 mg plant-1. Three functional modules were identified in the M. sativa response to foliar Zn application: genes involved in Zn uptake by cells, genes involved in vacuolar Zn sequestration and genes involved in Zn redistribution within the plant. These results will inform genetic engineering strategies aimed at increasing the efficiency of crop Zn biofortification.One-sentence summaryUpregulation of ZIP2, NASI and HMA4 and downregulation of ZIP3 are associated with Zn sequestration and shoot-to-root translocation in Medicago sativa following foliar Zn biofortification


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muneta G. Manzeke-Kangara ◽  
Edward J. M. Joy ◽  
Florence Mtambanengwe ◽  
Prosper Chopera ◽  
Michael J. Watts ◽  
...  

Abstract Dietary zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with adverse impacts on human health. Agronomic biofortification with Zn fertilizers and improved soil fertility management, using mineral and organic nutrient resources, has previously been shown to increase Zn concentration of staple grain crops, including maize. Here, we show the potential of different soil fertility management options on maize crops to reduce dietary Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe using secondary data from a set of survey and field experiments. An ex-ante approach was used, informed by published evidence from studies in three contrasting smallholder production systems in Zimbabwe. To estimate current Zn deficiency in Zimbabwe, data on dietary Zn supply from non-maize sources from the Global Expanded Nutrient Supply (GENuS) data set were linked to maize grain Zn composition observed under typical current soil fertility management scenarios. A baseline dietary Zn deficiency prevalence of 68% was estimated from a reference maize grain Zn composition value of 16.6 mg kg-1 and an estimated dietary Zn intake of 9.3 mg capita-1 day-1 from all food sources. The potential health benefits of reducing Zn deficiency using different soil fertility management scenarios were quantified within a Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) framework. A scenario using optimal mineral NPK fertilizers and locally available organic nutrient resources (i.e. cattle manure and leaf litter), but without additional soil Zn fertilizer applications, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 19.3 mg kg-1. This would reduce the estimated prevalence of dietary Zn deficiency to 55%, potentially saving 2,238 DALYs year-1. Universal adoption of optimal fertilizers, to include soil Zn applications and locally available organic leaf litter, is estimated to increase maize grain Zn concentration to 32.4 mg kg-1 and reduce dietary Zn deficiency to 16.7%, potentially saving 9,119 DALYs year-1. Potential monetized yield gains from adopting improved soil fertility management range from 49- to 158-fold larger than the potential reduction in DALYs, if the latter are monetized using standard methods. Farmers should be incentivized to adopt improved soil fertility management to improve both crop yield and quality.


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