Biofortification: A long-term solution to improve global health- a review

Abstract

Biofortification is a revolutionary technique for improving plant nutrition and alleviating human micronutrient deficiency. Fertilizers can help increase crop yield and growth, but applying too much fertilizer can be a problem because it leads to the release of greenhouse gases and eutrophication. One of the major global hazards that affects more than two million people globally is the decreased availability of micronutrients in food crops, which results in micronutrient deficiencies or “hidden hunger” in people. Micronutrients, like macronutrients, perform a variety of roles in plant and human nutrition. This review has highlighted the importance of micronutrients as well as their advantages. The uneven distribution of micronutrients in geological areas is not the only factor responsible for micronutrient deficiencies, other parameters including soil moisture, temperature, texture of the soil, and soil pH significantly affects the micronutrient concentration and their availability in the soil. To overcome this, different biofortification approaches are assessed in the review in which microbes mediated, Agronomic approaches, Plant breeding, and transgenic approaches are discussed. Hidden hunger can result in risky health conditions and diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, neurological disorders, and many more. Microbes-mediated biofortification is a novel and promising solution for the bioavailability of nutrients to plants in order to address these problems. Biofortification is cost effective, feasible, and environmentally sustainable. Bio-fortified crops boost our immunity, which helps us to combat these deadly viruses. The studies we discussed in this review have demonstrated that they can aid in the alleviation of hidden hunger.