Biofortification

Introduction

Crops breeding plays an important role in agriculture. Crop breeding is practised for the improvement of plants that benefit us. To make the crops nutritious and more productive breeds have worked enormously. The farmers always selected the plants which can produce larger seeds, better fruit quality, and other good traits. This has been done through plant breeding which has been practised by farmers for a long time. Nowadays both scientists and farmers work together to breed plants.

Biofortification is the process of amplifying the nutritional quality of breeding food crops. It is an upcoming cost-effective and sustainable technique used by breeders. In this tutorial, we will learn biofortification in depth.

Process of biofortification

Biofortification is the process in which modern biotechnology, conventional plant breeding, and agronomics techniques are used to produce nutritionally improved crops. This method is practised due to the increased human population. Previously agriculturists focused on the increase the number of crops or crop productivity. These practices of increasing crop productivity have affected the quality of crops and production of micronutrient deficiency crops. These types of crops also affect humans. Keeping this in mind nowadays agriculturists focus on a sufficient quantity of crops that are rich in nutrients.

Though nutrient supplements, program vitamins, and minerals are provided to humans in large quantities. But it's not possible to cover all below property line people. Either these people are unable to afford this supplement or they are not educated enough to know about the importance of nutrients. So biofortification is the only long-term sustainable solution that provides nutrients rich food crops to the people.

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Techniques involved

The techniques of biofortification are described below −

• Agronomic practices − In this method fertilizers are used to increase the micronutrient crops. Generally, crops are grown in areas where major macronutrients are present in small quantities.

• Selective breeding − In this only certain plants which have desired traits are allowed to grow. For example on farmland, there are ten rice plants are cultivated. Farmers get to know that out of ten plants only three have high iron content. In this situation, farmers can remove the seven plants which have low iron content, and plants seed only for high iron crops for nest seasons. When this process is repeated all the rice plants have high iron contents. In this method uses natural traits to get the best quality crops and has advantages as well as disadvantages.

• Genetic modification − There are two methods of genetic modification. In the first method, genes are changes that are already in the plant. In the second method, new genes are introduced into the plant known as genes transfer. An advantage of genetic modification is that the desired trait is achieved within a few generations of the plant life cycle after altering the plant. That is much faster than selective breeding.

Examples of biofortification

• Iron biofortification − It is found in beans, potato, carrot, rice, and legumes.
• Zinc biofortification − It is found in sweet potatoes, beans, rice, wheat, and maize.
• Protein and amino acids biofortification − Cassava and sorghum
• Provitamin - A carotenoid biofortification − Cassava, sweet potato, and maize.

Purpose of biofortification

The main purpose of biofortification is to produce nutritionally improved crops. The benefits of biofortification can cover a wide range of below-poverty line people. This range of people either do not have access to a diverse diet or are not educated enough to know the importance of micronutrients. They consume the food that is available in that area. As a result, they suffer micronutrient malnutrition. Biofortification is the only way that can provide essential micronutrients in crops. It plays an important role in improving the diet and overall health of human beings. Biofortification is a long sustainable technique used by the breeder to get nutritionally improved crops.

Benefits of biofortification

• The crops that are produced from biofortification contain more nutrients and these benefits stay in the crop forever.

• It is cost-effective because it does not require any new infrastructure.

• In comparison to traditional methods of fortification, biofortification is more sustainable. In traditional fortifications, every product should be individually altered to add micronutrients while in biofortification once the biofortified crop is made the result is last forever.

• It is an important option to overcome malnutrition.

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Challenges of biofortification

Many people think that it is dangerous to eat biofortified crops though it is confirmed by researchers that genetically modified crops are safe to consume. An example of biofortified crops is golden rice, rich in beta carotene, but people hesitate to eat it because of its colour. The farmers need to adopt biofortification on a large scale as they are more used to the traditional method.

Conclusion

Biofortification is the process in which modern biotechnology, conventional plant breeding, and agronomics techniques are used to produce nutritionally improved crops. Its plays an important role in decreasing malnutrition. The public should be adequately informed about biofortification and its importance. As time passes hopefully biofortification will be an effective weapon to fight against malnutrition.

FAQs

Q1. What are micronutrients?

Ans. Micronutrients are required by the human body in very small quantities. They are essential nutrients that play a vital role in the development and proper functioning of the body. Iron, copper, zinc, calcium, potassium, etc are examples of micronutrients. When people do not get enough micronutrients, this type of malnutrition is called a micronutrient deficiency.

Q2. What is malnutrition?

Ans. Malnutrition occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients and effect both physically and mentally. Some people suffer from this disorder as they do not get food to eat. While other sections of people who do not get enough calories can also suffer from malnutrition.

Q3. What are the advantage and disadvantages of selective breeding?

Ans. Selective breeding is an affordable technique as it does not require any special equipment for breeding. This is the main advantage of selective breeding. While its main disadvantage is it takes a long time to grow plants, so breeding the best crop can take many years.

Q4. How golden rice is different from other varieties of rice?

Ans. Golden rice contains a protein which is known as beta carotene. Regular rice varieties and brown rice do not contain this type of protein. This beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body. Lack of vitamin A causes night blindness.

Q5. What is the disadvantage of genetic modification?

Ans. Genetic modification requires specific biological tools, and a lot of research can be performed in the laboratory. Many people do not want to consume genetically modified crops so social acceptance is one of the major issues.

Q6. What is fertilizer?

Ans. It is the chemical substance used by farmers to increase the production of crops. The fertilizers contain essential nutrients which are required by the plants for proper growth and development. Too much use of fertilizers is not good for plants it makes an adverse effect on the plants.