Biofortification of Cereals with Iron through Agronomic Practices

Abstract

Iron is one of the micronutrients required for normal crop production and human developmental concerns. Iron deficiency leads to major hindrance towards crop production and extensive problems in developing countries. Iron deficiency in developing countries of Asia and Africa extensively threatens millions of people. Iron is one of the essential nutrients for crops and plays a key role in human growth and development. Almost all plant species uptake iron in the form of chelation; iron uptake could occur through the following two (I and II) strategies. In strategy, I plant releases organic acids and different compounds for the availability of iron in ferric form, and in strategy II, different cereals form chelation with ferric for uptake. Plant iron mobility occurs through the xylem in chelation form and is available to all plant parts. Iron biofortification by agronomic practices can be done through I) the application of iron fertilizer through soil and different chelation compounds to increase their availability II) combined application of iron through foliar and soil to increase biofortification level. So, an agronomic strategy with chelation increases the iron level in cereals to many folds.