Biofortification Of Food Crops Research Articles

Discovery of isoflavone phytoalexins in wheat reveals an alternative route to isoflavonoid biosynthesis.

Isoflavones are a group of phenolic compounds mostly restricted to plants of the legume family, where they mediate important interactions with plant-associated microbes, including in defense from pathogens and in nodulation. Their well-studied health promoting attributes have made them a prime target for metabolic engineering, both for bioproduction of isoflavones as high-value molecules, and in biofortification of food crops. A key gene in their biosynthesis, isoflavone synthase, was identified in legumes over two decades ago, but little is known about formation of isoflavones outside of this family. Here we identify a specialized wheat-specific isoflavone synthase, TaCYP71F53, which catalyzes a different reaction from the leguminous isoflavone synthases, thus revealing an alternative path to isoflavonoid biosynthesis and providing a non-transgenic route for engineering isoflavone production in wheat. TaCYP71F53 forms part of a biosynthetic gene cluster that produces a naringenin-derived O-methylated isoflavone, 5-hydroxy-2',4',7-trimethoxyisoflavone, triticein. Pathogen-induced production and in vitro antimicrobial activity of triticein suggest a defense-related role for this molecule in wheat. Genomic and metabolic analyses of wheat ancestral grasses further show that the triticein gene cluster was introduced into domesticated emmer wheat through natural hybridization ~9000 years ago, and encodes a pathogen-responsive metabolic pathway that is conserved in modern bread wheat varieties.

Genetic dissection of marker trait associations for grain micro-nutrients and thousand grain weight under heat and drought stress conditions in wheat.

Wheat is grown and consumed worldwide, making it an important staple food crop for both its calorific and nutritional content. In places where wheat is used as a staple food, suboptimal micronutrient content levels, especially of grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), can lead to malnutrition. Grain nutrient content is influenced by abiotic stresses, such as drought and heat stress. The best method for addressing micronutrient deficiencies is the biofortification of food crops. The prerequisites for marker-assisted varietal development are the identification of the genomic region responsible for high grain iron and zinc contents and an understanding of their genetics. A total of 193 diverse wheat genotypes were evaluated under drought and heat stress conditions across the years at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, under timely sown irrigated (IR), restricted irrigated (RI) and late sown (LS) conditions. Grain iron content (GFeC) and grain zinc content (GZnC) were estimated from both the control and treatment groups. Genotyping of all the lines under study was carried out with the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from Breeder's 35K Axiom Array. Three subgroups were observed in the association panel based on both principal component analysis (PCA) and dendrogram analysis. A large whole-genome linkage disequilibrium (LD) block size of 3.49Mb was observed. A genome-wide association study identified 16 unique stringent marker trait associations for GFeC, GZnC, and 1000-grain weight (TGW). In silico analysis demonstrated the presence of 28 potential candidate genes in the flanking region of 16 linked SNPs, such as synaptotagmin-like mitochondrial-lipid-binding domain, HAUS augmin-like complex, di-copper center-containing domain, protein kinase, chaperonin Cpn60, zinc finger, NUDIX hydrolase, etc. Expression levels of these genes in vegetative tissues and grain were also found. Utilization of identified markers in marker-assisted breeding may lead to the rapid development of biofortified wheat genotypes to combat malnutrition.

Breeding and adoption of biofortified crops and their nutritional impact on human health.

Micronutrient malnutrition has affected over two billion people worldwide and continues to be a health risk. A growing human population, poverty, and the prevalence of low dietary diversity are jointly responsible for malnutrition, particularly in developing nations. Inadequate bioavailability of key micronutrients, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and vitamin A, can be improved through agronomic and/or genetic interventions. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research prioritizes developing biofortified food crops that are rich in minerals and vitamins through the HarvestPlus initiative on biofortification. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of biofortified food crops along with evidence supporting their acceptability and adoption. Between 2004 and 2019, 242 biofortified varieties belonging to 11 major crops were released in 30 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These conventionally bred biofortified crops include Fe-enriched beans, pearl millet, and cowpea; Zn-enriched rice, wheat, and maize; both Fe- and Zn-enriched lentil and sorghum; and varieties with improved vitamin A in orange-fleshed sweet potato, maize, cassava, and banana/plantain. In addition to ongoing efforts, breeding innovations, such as speed breeding and CRISPR-based gene editing technologies, will be necessary for the next decade to reach two billion people with biofortified crops.

Recent trends in crop breeding, the varietal induction in seed chain and its impact on food grain production in India

Food grains in India achieved an all-time high production (310.74 mt) during 2020-21. Varietal and seed replacement rates played an important role in achieving this milestone. A total of 1646 varieties of food crops comprising 1273 of cereals and 373 of pulses were released from 2011 to 2022. Of these 977 varieties consisting of cereals (667) and pulses (310) have been inducted into the seed chain during 2020-21. New breeding technonologies such as bio-fortification of food crops and marker-assisted breeding were applied to improve crop varieties with respect to specific desirable traits. A total of 65 bio-fortified varieties comprising rice (8), wheat (28), maize (14), pearl millet (9), finger millet (3), little millet (1) and lentil (2) have been released with improved levels of proteins, essential amino acids (lysine, tryptophan), vitamins (pro-vitamin A) and micro/macro-nutrients (zinc, iron, calcium). Marker-assisted breeding adopting foreground and background selections with targeted gene(s) utilizing molecular markers such as RFLPs, SSRs, CAPs, STS and INDEL resulted in to the development and release of 66 cultivars comprising rice (43), wheat (5), maize (10), pearl millet (2) and chickpea (6) with one/and or combination of traits such as tolerance to biotic/abiotic stresses, herbicide tolerance, nutrient use efficiency, earliness, nutritional and other quality traits. These non-genetically modified crop varieties are expected to play vital role in achieving food and nutrition security in India. The paper also provides insight in to the maintenance breeding of food crops. The analysis of seed requirement and availability during 2010-11 to 2020-21 revealed that seed requirements for cereals and pulses have increased consistently by 31.6% and 62.3%, from 186.8 to 245.8 lakh q and 22.3 to 36.2 lakh q, respectively. The production of rice, wheat, maize, pearl millet and pulses during 2020-21 increased over that of 2010-11 by 27.4%, 26.0%, 45.2%, 4.4% and 41.3%, respectively. The productivity of sorghum was higher by 18.9% over that of 2010-11 but production decreased by 31.7% on account of a reduction in acreage by 42.5% during the corresponding period. The net per capita availability of food grains increased, by 17.2% from 159.5 kg to 187.0 kg during this period. The cereals and pulses production needs to be up-scaled by 5.3% and 24.4% to meet the demand by 2030 from 285.28 mt and 25.46 mt, respectively, in 2020-21, with almost the similar acreage, degrading and depleting natural resources, thus, requiring a greater focus on enhancing yield/ha. Crop-specific breeding programmes should be accelerated with the adoption of new technologies like GM, gene editing, marker-assisted selection and speed breeding to address the challenges of climate change and degrading natural sources.

Biofortification of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) through mineral and chelated forms of Zn on yield, Zn accumulation, quality parameters, efficiency indices and economic under low Zn soils of North-Western India

Dietary zinc (Zn) deficiency is a global nutritional problem, particularly prevalent in developing countries. Biofortification of food crops with Zn is, therefore, a key challenge and a high-priority research task to address Zn malnutrition. Linseed is a traditional oilseed crop widely used as a valuable alternative for cropping systems because of the high seed oil quality and for industrial purposes. Thus, the efficiency of ZnSO4.7H2O and Zn-EDTA was compared for enhancement of quantitative and qualitative parameters along with economic analysis. Foliar application of ZnSO4.7H2O and Zn-EDTA (0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75%) was done at flowering and capsule formation stages. Results of three-years data revealed that Zn application positively affected all the parameters. The seed and stover yields were maximum with the foliar application of 0.50% Zn-EDTA at flowering and capsule formation stages which was statistically at par with the foliar application of 0.50% ZnSO4 at flowering stage. The oil content showed a positive correlation with yield, while total antioxidant activity and free fatty acid content were positively and negatively correlated with Zn seed concentration. The net return and B:C ratio was highest (Rs. 41,069/ha and 2.30, respectively) with the treatment foliar application of ZnSO4 (0.50%) at flowering followed by the foliar application of Zn-EDTA (0.50%) at flowering and capsule formation stages (Rs. 39,210/ha and 2.15, respectively). Overall it is concluded that the foliar application of ZnSO4 (0.50%) at flowering stage was most efficient for obtaining the higher yield, Zn content, Zn uptake, higher net return and B:C ratio.

Nanotechnology-enabled biofortification strategies for micronutrients enrichment of food crops: Current understanding and future scope

Nutrient deficiency in food crops severely compromises human health, particularly in under privileged communities. Globally, billions of people, particularly in developing nations, have limited access to nutritional supplements and fortified foods, subsequently suffering from micronutrient deficiency leading to a range of health issues. The green revolution enhanced crop production and provided food to billions of people but often falls short with respect to the nutritional quality of that food. Plants may assimilate nutrients from synthetic chemical fertilizers, but this approach generally has low nutrient delivery and use efficiency. Further, the overexposure of chemical fertilizers may increase the risk of neoplastic diseases, render food crops unfit for consumption and cause environmental degradation. Therefore, to address these challenges, more research is needed for sustainable crop yield and quality enhancement with minimum use of chemical fertilizers. Complex nutritional disorders and ‘hidden hunger’ can be addressed through biofortification of food crops. Nanotechnology may help to improve food quality via biofortification as plants may readily acquire nanoparticle-based nutrients. Nanofertilizers are target specific, possess controlled release, and can be retained for relatively long time periods, thus prevent leaching or run-off from soil. This review evaluates the recent literature on the development and use of nanofertilizers, their effects on the environment, and benefits to food quality. Further, the review highlights the potential of nanomaterials on plant genetics in biofortification, as well as issues of affordability, sustainability, and toxicity.

Consumer Acceptance and Market Potential of Iodine-Biofortified Fruit and Vegetables in Germany.

Biofortification of food crops with iodine is a novel approach to preventing iodine deficiency in humans. The present study analyses the consumer target groups and the market potential of iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables in Germany. For this purpose, an online survey of 1016 German fruit and vegetable consumers was conducted to investigate the acceptance of different product categories as well as relevant criteria for the market launch. The results show that iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables are particularly attractive to consumers who purchase at farmers’ markets, organic food shops, and farm stores. Out of this group, 39% of consumers rate such iodine-rich foods as very appealing. They attach importance to food that naturally contains iodine and prefer produce from integrated domestic cultivation. With their focus on sustainability and naturalness, this group of consumers clearly differs from typical users of dietary supplements, who are primarily concerned with health benefits. However, overall about 85% of respondents would prefer biofortified fruits and vegetables to supplements to improve their iodine supply. The greatest market potential for iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables is to be expected in supermarkets, as this is the preferred food shopping location for most consumers. A total of 28% of those who buy here rate the biofortified foods presented as very appealing. Nevertheless, a successful market launch requires that the benefits of the new products are communicated according to the potential consumer group needs.

Microorganisms as a Sustainable Alternative to Traditional Biofortification of Iron and Zinc: Status and Prospect to Combat Hidden Hunger

Despite the fact that the world has achieved adequate food grain production to fight the battle against caloric hunger, still, a significant fraction of population is suffering with deficiency of micronutrients like Fe and Zn. However, the dietary intake of these micronutrients could be sufficient to meet the nutritional demand if the bioavailability was not low due to the strong inhibition by phytic acid and phenolics. Another cause behind inadequate intake is the scarcity of plant-available micronutrients in soil and genetic makeup of plants impeding high accumulation. Postharvest fortification is the major strategy to enrich staple food crops with micronutrients, but biofortification of food crops using breeding and agronomic strategies is also gaining popularity. However, one important issue remained unaddressed as none of them could really increase the plant-available micronutrients like Fe or Zn which otherwise remain insoluble in soil. Microorganisms due to their enormous metabolic diversity are known to be key players in biogeochemical cycling. Their roles in improving the uptake of major nutrients by plants are well-known and understood. Enrichment of edible crops with Fe and Zn can be achieved through microorganisms by any of the three following strategies—(a) increased availability of micronutrients due to microbial activity such as production of acids, chelators, and phytohormones; (b) microbe-mediated modulation of micronutrient transporters; and (c) de-complexation of micronutrients from compounds like phytate through microbial activity during postharvest processing. Microbe-mediated biofortification can potentially complement the agronomic and genetic biofortification of staple crops.

Advanced genome editing strategies for manipulation of plant specialized metabolites pertaining to biofortification

Emerging trends in molecular biology have progressed the knowledge of plant specialized metabolites with respect to diversity in structure, function and biosynthetic pathways. Being powerful genome-editing tools, Zinc Finger Nuclease, Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nuclease, and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) systems have found potential application in genome and epigenome engineering. CRISPR/Cas9 is being used for studying the functions of multiple genes and gene families in plants. Our analysis suggests that although a rapid progress has occurred for utilization of CRISPR/Cas9 tool in crop improvement, limited studies are available for its application in manipulation of gene clusters of useful specialized metabolites in plants. In this review, after describing briefly about the recent advancements in genome editing techniques, we have further discussed their applicability in the modulation of metabolite production and biofortification of food crops. We have also emphasized the importance of CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted deletion of larger chromosomal fragments or gene clusters towards value addition of crop plants. The current policies for CRISPR/Cas9-edited crop plants in different countries and their acceptability in market place is also discussed. We propose that advanced genome editing techniques, including a multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 system could serve as a versatile tool for rewiring of metabolite gene clusters and improving the levels of useful metabolites in plants.

Biofortification efficiency with magnesium salts on the increase of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in snap beans

ABSTRACT: Biofortification of food crops is implemented through the application of mineral fertilizers, to improve the levels of essential mineral elements for human nutrition. Magnesium is a key macronutrient in crop production and quality; however, worldwide, it is the most limiting macronutrient in agriculture. Magnesium plays an important role in manipulating physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of biofortification with magnesium chloride and sulfate on the accumulation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in snap bean cv. Strike. Two sources of Magnesium were applied via edaphic route: Magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate at doses of 0, 50, 100 and 200 ppm during 2018 in Mexico. Accumulation of bioactive compounds (total phenols, total flavonoids and total anthocyanins) and antioxidant capacity in snap bean fruits were evaluated. Results obtained indicate that the concentration of total flavonoids, total anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity in the edible parts of snap beans were higher in the MgSO4 treatment than in the MgCl2 treatments, exceeding 30, 59 and 6% respectively. This is one of the first studies on the edaphic agronomic biofortification of Mg+ and its effect on nutraceutical quality in snap bean. An interesting result is that MgSO4 produced high concentrations of anthocyanins in edible snap beans. These results can be applied as a new strategy to reduce malnutrition and improve the health of the population in poor urban and rural communities in developing countries.

Agronomic iodine biofortification of leafy vegetables grown in Vertisols, Oxisols and Alfisols

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in sub-Saharan African countries are related to low dietary I intake and generally combatted through salt iodisation. Agronomic biofortification of food crops may be an alternative approach. This study assessed the effectiveness of I biofortification of green vegetables (Brassica napus L and Amaranthus retroflexus L.) grown in tropical soils with contrasting chemistry and fertility. Application rates of 0, 5 and 10 kg ha−1I applied to foliage or soil were assessed. Leaves were harvested fortnightly for ~ 2 months after I application before a second crop was grown to assess the availability of residual soil I. A separate experiment was used to investigate storage of I within the plants. Iodine concentration and uptake in sequential harvests showed a sharp drop within 28 days of I application in all soil types for all I application levels and methods. This rapid decline likely reflects I fixation in the soil. Iodine biofortification increased I uptake and concentration in the vegetables to a level useful for increasing dietary I intake and could be a feasible way to reduce IDD in tropical regions. However, biofortification of green vegetables which are subject to multiple harvests requires repeated I applications.

Biofortification of food crops: a novel strategy for reducing micronutrient malnutrition

Biofortification of food crops: a novel strategy for reducing micronutrient malnutrition

Genetic dissection of grain iron and zinc concentrations in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are wide spread in South Asia and Africa. Biofortification of food crops is a viable means of addressing micronutrient deficiencies. Lentil is an important pulse crop that provides affordable source of proteins, minerals, fibre and carbohydrates for micronutrient deficient countries. An association mapping (AM) panel of 96 diverse lentil genotypes from India and Mediterranean region was evaluated for three seasons and genotyped using 80 polymorphic simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers for identification of the markers associated with grain Fe and Zn concentrations. A Bayesian model based clustering identified five subpopulations, adequately explaining the genetic structure of the AM panel. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis using mixed linear model (MLM) identified two SSR markers, GLLC106 and GLLC108, associated with grain Fe concentration explaining 17% and 6% phenotypic variation, respectively and three SSR markers (PBALC 364, PBALC 92 and GLLC592) associated with grain Zn concentration, explaining 6%, 8% and 13% phenotypic variation, respectively. The identified SSRs exhibited consistent performance across three seasons and have potential for utilization in lentil molecular breeding programme.

Effect of Intensive Agriculture-Nutrition Education and Extension Program Adoption and Diffusion of Biofortified Crops

Biofortification of staple crops to combat micronutrient deficiencies is gaining global recognition. Projects promoting biofortified food crops use intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension activities to increase adoption of such crops. This study examines the effect of such programs on the adoption and diffusion of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). It finds that intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension programs adopted by some of the biofortification projects increases the adoption and diffusion of OFSP. Specifically, participation in mother-to-mother nutrition support clubs and nutrition-focused health talks affect its adoption and diffusion, but with varying degrees of importance. The paper discusses the implications of these findings.

Biofortified Crops Generated by Breeding, Agronomy, and Transgenic Approaches Are Improving Lives of Millions of People around the World.

Biofortification is an upcoming, promising, cost-effective, and sustainable technique of delivering micronutrients to a population that has limited access to diverse diets and other micronutrient interventions. Unfortunately, major food crops are poor sources of micronutrients required for normal human growth. The manuscript deals in all aspects of crop biofortification which includes—breeding, agronomy, and genetic modification. It tries to summarize all the biofortification research that has been conducted on different crops. Success stories of biofortification include lysine and tryptophan rich quality protein maize (World food prize 2000), Vitamin A rich orange sweet potato (World food prize 2016); generated by crop breeding, oleic acid, and stearidonic acid soybean enrichment; through genetic transformation and selenium, iodine, and zinc supplementation. The biofortified food crops, especially cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, are providing sufficient levels of micronutrients to targeted populations. Although a greater emphasis is being laid on transgenic research, the success rate and acceptability of breeding is much higher. Besides the challenges biofortified crops hold a bright future to address the malnutrition challenge.

Agronomic biofortification of cereals with zinc: a review

SummaryZinc (Zn) still represents an important health problem in developing countries, caused mainly by inadequate dietary intake. A large consumption of cereal‐based foods with small concentrations and low bioavailability of Zn is the major reason behind this problem. Modern cultivars of cereals have inherently very small concentrations of Zn and cannot meet the human need for Zn. Today, up to 50% of wheat‐cultivated soil globally is considered poor in bioavailable Zn. Agricultural strategies that are used to improve the nutritional value of crop plants are known as biofortification strategies. They include genetic biofortification, which is based on classical plant breeding and genetic engineering for larger nutrient concentrations, and greater agronomic biofortification, which is based on optimized fertilizer applications. This review focuses on agronomic biofortification with Zn, which has proved to be very effective for wheat and also other cereal crops including rice. Molecular and genetic research into Zn uptake, transport and grain deposition in cereals are critically important for identifying ‘bottlenecks’ in the biofortification of food crops with Zn. Transgenic plants with large Zn concentrations in seeds are often tested under controlled laboratory or glasshouse conditions with sufficient available Zn in the growth medium for the entire growth period. However, they might not always show the same performance under ‘real‐world’ conditions with limited chemical availability of Zn and various stress factors such as drought. What purpose can an upgraded transport and storage system serve if the amount of goods to be transported and stored is limited anyway? Given the fact that the Zn concentrations required to achieve a measurable impact on human health are well above those required to avoid any loss of yield from Zn deficiency, providing crop plants with sufficient Zn through the soil and foliar fertilizer strategy under field conditions is critically important for biofortification efforts.Highlights Zinc malnutrition is a major global health issue associated with cereal‐based diets. Agronomic biofortification with Zn aims to provide edible parts of crop plants with sufficient Zn. Biofortification with Zn fertilizers, particularly foliar applications, works well for wheat and other cereals. Agronomic biofortification with Zn provides a practical and cost‐effective option to tackle the global Zn malnutrition problem.

Progress update: Crop development of biofortified staple food crops under HarvestPlus

Over the past 15 years, biofortification, the process of breeding nutrients into food crops, has gained ample recognition as a cost-effective, complementary, feasible means of delivering micronutrients to populations that may have limited access to diverse diets, supplements, or commercially fortified foods. In 2008, a panel of noted economists that included five Nobel Laureates ranked biofortification fifth among the most cost-effective solutions to address global challenges such as reducing hidden hunger. The 2016 World Food Prize was awarded to biofortification. Biofortification involves breeding staple food crops to increase their micronutrient content, targeting foods widely consumed by low-income families in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The focus is on providing sufficient levels of vitamin A, iron, and/or zinc through these crops, based on existing consumption patterns. HarvestPlus is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH). HarvestPlus works in partnership with more than 200 scientific and implementation organizations around the world to improve nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and providing global leadership on biofortification evidence and technology. Crops bred for higher levels of micronutrients using conventional breeding methods have been released in 26 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and are now being grown and eaten by millions of farmers and consumers. This paper reviews crop development progress and varietal release of primary (major) and secondary (regionally important) staple crops, with a focus on progress in Africa. Keywords: Biofortification, Micronutrients, Micronutrient Deficiency, Staple Crops, Breeding, Provitamin A, Iron, Zinc

Selenium in food crops

Biofortification of food crops with selenium is considered to be one of the most effective and economically beneficial way in the human selenium status optimization. At the same time as biologically activity of selenium is determined not only by a dose but also by chemical forms of the element it seems especially important to reveal peculiarities of their biosynthesis by different agricultural crops. The review presents the last data on the chemical forms of selenium in food products including food crops. Effect of agricultural crops biofortification with selenium on accumulation of special chemical forms of the element is discussed. Special attention is paid to representatives of Allium and Brassica species, capable to accumulate high concentrations of methylated derivatives of the element known to possess intensive anticarcinogenic acitivity. Selenium metabolism in hyperaccumulators and non-accumulators of selenium is discussed. Possible beneficial effects of selenium enriched cereals and vegetables on human health are presented. Success of Finland in improvement of human health via global utilization of fertilizers, fortified with selenium is indicated. The most important functional food products based on selenium fortified vegetables produced in different countries and developed in Russia are described.

The socioeconomics of genetically modified biofortified crops: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Building upon the growing interest and research on genetically modified (GM) biofortification, its socioeconomic potential has been increasingly examined. We conducted two systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide comprehensive evidence of consumers' willingness to pay (11 economic valuation studies, 64 estimates) and cost-effectiveness/benefits (five economic evaluation studies, 30 estimates). Worldwide, consumers were willing to pay 23.9% more for GM biofortified food crops. Aside from crop and design-related differences, information provision was deemed crucial. Positive information (nutrition and GM benefits) is associated with the highest consumer willingness to pay, compared with negative, objective, and conflicting GM information, especially when negative information was mentioned last. This health intervention would reduce the aggregated micronutrient deficiency burden in Asia (15.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)) by 12.5-51.4%, at a low cost of USD 7.9-27.8 per DALY in a pessimistic and optimistic scenario, respectively. Given that GM biofortified crops could tackle hidden hunger in a cost-effective and well-accepted way, its implementation is worth pursuing. A case study on folate biofortification further elaborates on the importance of socioeconomic research and the determinants of their market potential.

The Effects of Training, Innovation and New Technology on African Smallholder Farmers' Economic Outcomes and Food Security: A Systematic Review

The Effects of Training, Innovation and New Technology on African Smallholder Farmers' Economic Outcomes and Food Security: A Systematic Review