Development of micronutrient biofortification strategies for enhancing iron and zinc content in major staple food crops

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies affect billions worldwide, with iron and zinc deficiencies causing significant morbidity particularly in developing regions dependent on cereal-based diets. This research evaluated biofortification approaches to enhance iron and zinc content in wheat, rice, and common bean. Experiments at Vancouver Institute of Technology from March 2024 to July 2025 combined agronomic, conventional breeding, and transgenic strategies. Foliar zinc application increased wheat grain zinc by 48% from 28 to 41 mg/kg. Conventional breeding selected lines with 72% higher iron in beans reaching 89 mg/kg. Transgenic rice expressing ferritin and nicotianamine synthase achieved 4.2-fold iron increase to 18.5 mg/kg. Bioavailability studies in Caco-2 cells confirmed enhanced iron uptake from biofortified grains. These findings demonstrate feasible pathways for developing nutrient-dense staple crops addressing global micronutrient malnutrition.