Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Towards nutrition security of India with biofortified cereal varieties


Affiliations
1 ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030
2 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012
3 ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030
4 ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Aggarsain Marg, Karnal 132 001, India
5 All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet, Mandor, Jodhpur 342 304, India
6 National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai Osmania, Hyderabad 500 007, India
7 ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030, India
 

Rice and wheat are the major staples contributing more than 75% to food-grain consumption, while maize, pearl millet and sorghum are important alternative cereals in India. Cereal biofortification is one of the promising approaches to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition. Here we present an overview of the efforts towards development of biofortified cereal varieties enhanced with iron, zinc, protein and provitamin-A using conventional breeding approaches, and the possibilities of scaling up and adoption to ease the burden of malnourishment
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI, UNICEF, Population Council, Comprehensive National Nutritional Survey 2016–2018, 2019; https://nhm.gov.in/showfile.php?lid=712

  • Bouis, H. E., Saltzman, A. and Birol, E., Improving nutrition through biofortification. In Agriculture for Improved Nutrition: Seizing the Momentum (eds Fan, S., Yosef, S. and Pandya-Lorch, R.), 2019, pp. 47–57.

  • Bouis, H. E. and Saltzman, A., Improving nutrition through biofortification: a review of evidence from HarvestPlus, 2003 through 2016. Global Food Secur., 2017, 12, 49–58.

  • Mohapatra, T. and Rout, P. K., Indian agriculture: journey from begging bowl to sustainable food security. Sci. Rep., 2021, 58, 63–69.

  • Neeraja, C. N. et al., Biofortification in cereals: progress and prospects. Curr. Sci., 2017, 113, 1050–1057.

  • Hossain, F. et al., Marker-assisted introgression of opaque2 allele for rapid conversion of elite hybrids into quality protein maize. J. Genet., 2018, 97, 287–298.

  • Zunjare, R. U. et al., Development of biofortified maize hybrids through marker-assisted stacking of β -carotene hydroxylase, lycopeneε -cyclase and opaque2 genes. Front. Plant Sci., 2018, 9, 178.

  • Goswami, R., Zunjare, R. U., Khan, S., Baveja, A., Muthusamy, V. and Hossain, F., Marker-assisted introgression of rare allele of β-carotene hydroxylase ( crtRB1) gene into elite quality protein maize inbred for combining high lysine, tryptophan and provitamin A in maize. Plant Breed., 2019, 138, 174–183.

  • Velu, G., Ortiz-Monasterio, I., Cakmak, I., Hao, Y. and Singh, R. P., Biofortification strategies to increase grain zinc and iron concentrations in wheat. J. Cereal Sci., 2014, 59, 365–372.

  • Satyavathi, C. T., Ambavat, S., Khandelwal, V., Govindaraj, M. and Neeraja, C. N., Micronutrient rich pearl millet for nutritionally secure India. ICAR-All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet, Jodhpur, 2021, p. 18.

  • Vashishth, A., Ram, S. and Beniwal, V., Cereal phytases and their importance in improvement of micronutrients bioavailability. 3 Biotech, 2017, 7, 42.

  • Velu, G., Singh, R. P., Cardenas, M. E., Wu, B., Guzman, C. and Ortiz-Monasterio, I., Characterization of grain protein content gene (GPC-B1) introgression lines and its potential use in breeding for enhanced grain zinc and iron concentration in spring wheat. Acta Physiol. Plant., 2017, 39, 212.

  • Yadava, D. K., Hossain, F. and Mohapatra, T., Nutritional security through crop biofortification in India: status and future prospects. Indian J. Med. Res., 2018, 148, 621–631.

  • Yadava, D. K., Choudhury, P. R., Hossain, F., Dinesh Kumar, Sharma, T. R. and Mohapatra, T., Biofortified Varieties: Sustainable Way to Alleviate Malnutrition (Fourth Edition), ICAR, 2022.

  • Rao, D. S. et al., Assessment of grain zinc and iron variability in rice germplasm using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer (ED-XRF). J. Rice Res., 2014, 7, 45–52.

  • Swamy, B. P. M. et al., Advances in breeding for high grain zinc in rice. Rice, 2016, 9, 1–16.

  • Chattopadhyay, K. et al., High protein rice for nutritional security: genesis and impacts. NRRI Res. Bull., 2018, 15, 1–26.

  • Zhou, L. H. et al., Variation and distribution of seed storage protein content and composition among different rice varieties. Acta Agron. Sin., 2009, 35, 884–891.

  • Chhuneja, P., Dhaliwal, H. S., Baines, N. S. and Singh, K., Aegilops kotschyi and Aegilops tauschii as sources of higher levels of grain iron and zinc. Plant Breed., 2006, 125, 529–531.

  • Goel, S., Singh, B., Grewal, S., Jaat, R. S. and Singh, N. K., Variability in Fe and Zn content among Indian wheat landraces for improved nutritional quality. Indian J. Genet. Plant Breed., 2018, 78, 426–432.

  • Ortiz-Monasterio, I., Palacios-Rojas, N., Meng, E., Pixley, K., Trethowan, R. and Pena, R. J., Enhancing the mineral and vitamin content of wheat and maize through plant breeding. J. Cereal Sci., 2007, 46, 293–307.

  • Sarika, K. et al., Opaque16, a high lysine and tryptophan mutant, does not influence the key physico-biochemical characteristics in maize kernel. PLoS ONE, 2018, 13, e0190945.

  • Gupta, H. S., Hossain, F. and Vignesh, M., Biofortification of maize: an Indian perspective. Indian J. Genet., 2015, 75, 1–22.

  • Govindaraj, M., Rai, K. N., Cherian, B., Pfeiffer, W. H., Kanatti, A. and Shivade, H., Breeding biofortified pearl millet varieties and hybrids to enhance millet markets for human nutrition. Agriculture, 2019, 9, 1–11.

  • Rao, P. P., Basavaraj, G., Ahmad, W. and Bhagavathula, S., An analysis of availability and utilization of sorghum grain in India. J. SAT Agric. Res., 2010, 1–8, 42–49.

  • Hariprasanna, K., Agte, V., Elangovan, M. and Patil, J. V., Genetic variability for grain iron and zinc content in cultivars, breeding lines and selected germplasm accessions of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Indian J. Genet. Plant Breed., 2014, 74, 42.

  • Kumar, A. A., Reddy, B. V. S. and Ramaiah, B., Combating micronutrient malnutrition: identification of commercial sorghum cultivars with high grain iron and zinc. Indian J. Dryland Agric. Res. Dev., 2013, 28(1), 95–100.

  • Hariprasanna, K., Agte, V., Elangovan, M., Gite, S. and Kishore, A., Anti-nutritional factors and antioxidant capacity in selected genotypes of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)]. Int. J. Agric. Sci., 2015, 7, 620–625.

  • Palmer, A. C. et al., Impact of biofortified maize consumption on serum carotenoid concentrations in Zambian children. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr., 2018, 72, 301–303.

  • Islam, M. M. et al., Total zinc absorption from a diet containing either conventional rice or higher-zinc rice does not differ among Bangladeshi preschool children. J. Nutr., 2013, 143, 519–525.

  • Rosado, J. L. et al., The quantity of zinc absorbed from wheat in adult women is enhanced by biofortification. J. Nutr., 2009, 139, 1920–1925.

  • Ohly, H. et al., The BiZiFED project: biofortified zinc flour to eliminate deficiency in Pakistan. Nutr. Bull., 2019, 44, 60–64.

  • Signorell, C. et al., Zinc absorption from agronomically biofortified wheat is similar to post-harvest fortified wheat and is a substantial source of bioavailable zinc in humans. J. Nutr., 2019, 149, 840–846.

  • Sazawal, S. et al., Efficacy of high zinc biofortified wheat in improvement of micronutrient status, and prevention of morbidity among preschool children and women – a double masked, randomized, controlled trial. Nutr. J., 2018, 17, 1–10.

  • Finkelstein, J. L. et al., A randomized trial of iron-biofortified pearl millet in school children in India. J. Nutr., 2015, 145, 1576–1581.

  • Kodkany, B. S. et al., Biofortification of pearl millet with iron and zinc in a randomized controlled trial increases absorption of these minerals above physiologic requirements in young children. J. Nutr., 2013, 143, 1489–1493.

  • Mehta, S. et al., Effect of iron and zinc-biofortified pearl millet consumption on growth and immune competence in children aged 12–18 months in India: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 2017, 7, e017631.

  • Scott, S. P. et al., Cognitive performance in Indian school-going adolescents is positively affected by consumption of iron-biofortified pearl millet: a 6-month randomized controlled efficacy trial. J. Nutr., 2018, 148, 1462–1471.

  • HarvestPlus and FAO, Biofortification: A Food-system to Help end Hidden Hunger, 2019.

  • Waris, A., Neeraja, C. and Azam, M. M., Farm women’s willingness to pay for biofortified rice variety – a micro level study. Oryza, 2019, 236–241.

  • TCI Reports, Pandemic prices: COVID-19 price shocks and their implications for nutrition security in India, 2020.

  • Wessels, I., Rolles, B. and Rink, L., The potential impact of zinc supplementation on COVID-19 pathogenesis. Front. Immunol., 2020, 11, 1712.

  • Dube, N., Mashurabad, P. C., Hossain, F., Pullakhandam, R., Thingnganing, L. and Bharatraj, D. K., β -Carotene bioaccessibility from biofortified maize (Zea mays) is related to its density and is negatively influenced by lutein and zeaxanthin. Food Funct., 2018, 9, 379–388.


Abstract Views: 395

PDF Views: 145




  • Towards nutrition security of India with biofortified cereal varieties

Abstract Views: 395  |  PDF Views: 145

Authors

C. N. Neeraja
ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030
Firoz Hossain
ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012
K. Hariprasanna
ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030
Sewa Ram
ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Aggarsain Marg, Karnal 132 001, India
C. Tara Satyavathi
All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet, Mandor, Jodhpur 342 304, India
L. Longvah
National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai Osmania, Hyderabad 500 007, India
P. Raghu
National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai Osmania, Hyderabad 500 007, India
S. R. Voleti
ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030, India
R. M. Sundaram
ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad 500 030, India

Abstract


Rice and wheat are the major staples contributing more than 75% to food-grain consumption, while maize, pearl millet and sorghum are important alternative cereals in India. Cereal biofortification is one of the promising approaches to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition. Here we present an overview of the efforts towards development of biofortified cereal varieties enhanced with iron, zinc, protein and provitamin-A using conventional breeding approaches, and the possibilities of scaling up and adoption to ease the burden of malnourishment

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi3%2F271-277