By Reza Keshavarz
An estimated 17.3% of people worldwide are at risk of inadequate zinc intake; zinc deficiency is a major human health concern. Increasing Zn concentration in wheat grains is highly important, and management strategies to enhance grain Zn concentration can play an important role in fighting nutrient deficiency.
In a practice known as biofortification, researchers use agronomic practices, plant breeding or biotechnology to increase the macronutrient content of food crops. It is as an
effective strategy to increase Zn concentration in
wheat grain.
In a recently published Agronomy Journal article, researchers reported the effect of zinc foliar application on yield, protein, and grain zinc concentration of hard red spring wheat cultivars in a dryland system in Montana. Zinc sulfate was sprayed on plant canopy at a rate of 1.12 kg Zn ha-1 once (at heading) or twice (at heading and flowering).
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