Abstract

Cereals and pulses are consumed as a staple food in low-income countries for the fulfillment of daily dietary requirements and as a source of micronutrients. However, they are failing to offer balanced nutrition due to deficiencies of some essential compounds, macronutrients, and micronutrients, i.e., cereals are deficient in iron, zinc, some essential amino acids, and quality proteins. Meanwhile, the pulses are rich in anti-nutrient compounds that restrict the bioavailability of micronutrients. As a result, the population is suffering from malnutrition and resultantly different diseases, i.e., anemia, beriberi, pellagra, night blindness, rickets, and scurvy are common in the society. These facts highlight the need for the biofortification of cereals and pulses for the provision of balanced diets to masses and reduction of malnutrition. Biofortification of crops may be achieved through conventional approaches or new breeding techniques (NBTs). Conventional approaches for biofortification cover mineral fertilization through foliar or soil application, microbe-mediated enhanced uptake of nutrients, and conventional crossing of plants to obtain the desired combination of genes for balanced nutrient uptake and bioavailability. Whereas, NBTs rely on gene silencing, gene editing, overexpression, and gene transfer from other species for the acquisition of balanced nutritional profiles in mutant plants. Thus, we have highlighted the significance of conventional and NBTs for the biofortification of cereals and pulses. Current and future perspectives and opportunities are also discussed. Further, the regulatory aspects of newly developed biofortified transgenic and/or non-transgenic crop varieties via NBTs are also presented.

Highlights

  • The products of cereal and pulses (Box 1) are used as a staple food in developing and developed countries and serve as a source of nutrients and dietary energy

  • The potential exists in the exploitation of genome editing for iron and zinc biofortification; carried out by manipulation of iron-regulated transporter (IRT), ferric-chelate reductase oxidase (FRO), YELLOW STRIPE 1-like (YSL), natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP), zinc-regulated transporters, and iron-regulated transporters like protein (ZIP) for an increased iron and zinc uptake in all pulses crops [124]. Another approach employed for the biofortification of pulses genome editing is to target anti-nutrient genes which are responsible for the reduced bioavailability of micronutrients

  • SDG3 is about ensuring healthy lives and promotes well-being for all at all ages

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

The products of cereal and pulses (Box 1) are used as a staple food in developing and developed countries and serve as a source of nutrients and dietary energy. The changing climate is putting heavy pressure on crop production with the increasing demand for crops that can withstand harsh climatic conditions, i.e., drought and heat stress, and can deliver a balanced diet to human beings [2, 3] Under these circumstances, pulses have emerged as an important component of the food chain, which can provide an environmentally stable source of protein, fats, and micronutrients (Box 1). Transgenic crops employed the genetic engineering tools for genotype improvement in focused metabolic pathways of the plant to improve and modify carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and other secondary metabolites [12] These transgenes targeted redistribution of micronutrients between tissues, enhanced the efficiency of a biochemical pathway, increased bioavailability, reduced anti-nutrient absorption and multigene transfer (corn with a high concentration of beta-carotene, ascorbate, and folate in a multivitamin plant) with the reconstruction of selected pathways (field of system biology) [12].

AP production and fragrance Protein contents Phytic acid Thiamine
Findings
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
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