Abstract
Background: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple crop that provides the primary caloric intake for a significant portion of the global population. Despite its central role in food security, modern cultivars are inherently deficient in key micronutrients such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). These deficiencies contribute to hidden hunger, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and remain a pressing public health challenge. Addressing the nutritional gap in wheat has therefore become a major priority in agricultural and nutritional research. Objective: This review aims to explore the role of biofortification strategies in enhancing the nutritional profile of wheat, with a focus on increasing Fe and Zn content to reduce the global burden of micronutrient malnutrition. Main Discussion Points: The discussion highlights two major approaches to biofortification. Agronomic strategies, such as soil and foliar applications of micronutrient fertilizers, provide immediate but short-term benefits that are strongly influenced by environmental factors. Genetic biofortification, through conventional breeding, QTL mapping, and marker-assisted selection, offers a more sustainable pathway by developing cultivars with improved capacity to accumulate Fe and Zn. Exploration of high-mineral germplasm, wild relatives, and pigmented wheat varieties further expands the potential for nutritional enhancement. Emerging microbial and biotechnological interventions also show promise in complementing these strategies. Conclusion: Biofortification represents a sustainable solution to combat micronutrient deficiencies, but its success depends on integrating agronomic, genetic, and biotechnological approaches while ensuring agronomic performance and consumer acceptance. Future efforts should focus on optimizing nutrient bioavailability, accelerating breeding efficiency, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations to translate scientific progress into tangible public health benefits.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Agronomic micronutrient fertilizer strategies give immediate but short term benefits influenced by environment.
- Taxon
- WHEAT
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- soil and foliar applications of micronutrient fertilizerse0
- Outcome
- immediate but short-term benefitse0
- Qualifier
- strongly influenced by environmental factorse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Agronomic strategies, such as soil and foliar applications of micronutrient fertilizers, provide immediate but short-term benefits that are strongly influenced by environmental factors.”
t0“WHEAT”
Claim · model-written summary
Genetic biofortification offers a more sustainable path through cultivars with improved iron and zinc accumulation.
- Taxon
- WHEATTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- Genetic biofortificatione0
- Outcome
- improved capacity to accumulate Fe and Zne0
- Direction
- improvede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Genetic biofortification, through conventional breeding, QTL mapping, and marker-assisted selection, offers a more sustainable pathway by developing cultivars with improved capacity to accumulate Fe and Zn.”
t0“WHEAT”
Claim · model-written summary
High mineral germplasm, wild relatives, and pigmented varieties expand potential nutritional improvement.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Material
- high-mineral germplasm, wild relatives, and pigmented wheat varietiese0
- Outcome
- potential for nutritional enhancemente0
- Direction
- expandse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Exploration of high-mineral germplasm, wild relatives, and pigmented wheat varieties further expands the potential for nutritional enhancement.”
Claim · model-written summary
Microbial and biotechnological interventions show promise as complementary biofortification strategies.
- Taxon
- WHEATTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- microbial and biotechnological interventionse0
- Outcome
- promise in complementing these strategiese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Emerging microbial and biotechnological interventions also show promise in complementing these strategies.”
t0“WHEAT”
Claim · model-written summary
Successful biofortification depends on integrating agronomic, genetic and biotechnological approaches while maintaining performance and acceptance.
- Taxon
- WHEATTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- integrating agronomic, genetic, and biotechnological approaches while ensuring agronomic performance and consumer acceptancee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“its success depends on integrating agronomic, genetic, and biotechnological approaches while ensuring agronomic performance and consumer acceptance.”
t0“WHEAT”
Claim · model-written summary
Future work should optimize nutrient bioavailability and breeding efficiency and strengthen collaborations.
- Taxon
- WHEATTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- optimizing nutrient bioavailability, accelerating breeding efficiency, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaborationse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Future efforts should focus on optimizing nutrient bioavailability, accelerating breeding efficiency, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations”
t0“WHEAT”