Combining Folate And Zn Biofortification In Fennel

Abstract

var. dulce (Mill.) Batt. &Trab.) and wild fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) were used in this work. Seeds of both plant genotypes were germinated on filter paper saturated with water until the emergence of the first true leaves; uniform-looking plantlets were then transferred in hydroponic culture. Plants were grown in pots containing 2L quar-ter strength Hoagland’s solution [14,15], for two months, then either treated with 200µM folic acid and 10µM ZnSO 4 or grown in control Abstract Improving nutritional health is one of the major socio-econom- ic challenges of the 21 st century. Therefore, research approaches toward crop biofortification are encouraged. Among nutritional de - ficiencies zinc and folates are of concern for their impact on public health. In this work a hydroponic culture was applied for combining zinc and folate biofortification in sweet and wild fennel. Zinc was highly accumulated in both cultivars, whereas folates were present only in leaves of wild fennel possibly due to their role in plant metabolism. The enriched plant tissues obtained can be employed for the production of herbal-derived dietary supplements.