Agronomic Biofortification of Zinc and Boron on Broccoli in Red and Lateritic Soils of India

Abstract

Micronutrients are essential for plant growth because they serve as catalysts for a variety of organic reactions occurring inside the plant. But it is observed that the red, lateritic and associated soils of eastern India are acidic in soil reaction, light textured, low organic matter and P and are often deficient in S and micronutrients like Zn, B, Mo. Bio-fortification is a rapidly emerging strategy to address micronutrient malnutrition, but as an agricultural strategy with health objectives, it faces unique challenges especially when Zinc (Zn) deficiency caused by inadequate dietary intake is a global nutritional problem in human populations, especially in developing countries. Agronomic biofortification or ferti-fortification is one such way of incorporating adequate amount of micronutrients in different food crops. Many professional researchers around the world are still working to mitigate this micronutrient deficiencies in crop and human and incorporate micronutrients through dietary intake of vegetable crops.