Enhancing Nutritional Quality

Plants provide a major part of a nutritious

diet. Fruits and vegetables are harvested
directly from plants. They are important
sources of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and
energy. Many common foods like bread,
cereals, and pasta are processed from
ingredients that come from plants. Even our
animal-based foods such as meat, eggs, dairy,
and fish depend on plants.
Nutritional quality encompasses the impact of food on consumers' physical health, growth,
development, reproduction, and emotional well-being. This broader definition can be delineated
into two components. Firstly, it refers to the effects of food composition, including all
constituents, both beneficial and harmful, and their nutritional implications. Variability in
desirable ingredients is typically less pronounced than in undesirable ones due to factors like soil
variation, climate, cultivar, seasons, and agricultural practices. Organic produce generally
exhibits higher product quality, attributed to potentially elevated levels of beneficial secondary
plant compounds compared to conventionally grown crops. Secondly, nutritional quality extends
to the subjective feelings of well-being or discomfort induced by certain foods. (Köpke, 2005).

Current Challenges
Many people in poor countries lack
the vitamins or minerals needed for
good health. In addition, the foods
they do eat often come from nutrient-
deficient soils. If the soils are
nutrient-deficient, so are the foods.
About two billion people around the
world suffer from hidden hunger:
getting enough calories, but not
enough nutrition. Blindness, cognitive
impairments, stunting, and premature
death can result. Over two billion of the world’s population is at the risk of micronutrient
deficiency which resulted due to an inadequate supply of micronutrients in daily diet (1). The
principal reason behind this nutrient stress is our food crops which are inadequate to supply
essential nutrients as they are grown on the soils which are deficient in minerals. The agricultural
production scenario in most developing countries does not address the issues related to
malnutrition; rather, it focuses on increasing grain yield and crop productivity. One solution
pursued is biofortification – that is, enhancing the vitamin and mineral content of the staple
crops that resource-poor families rely on for much of their diet.
Biofortification in Crops
Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient,
i.e. vitamins and minerals (including trace elements) in a food, so as to improve the nutritional
quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.
Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional value of food crops is enhanced by
various methods including plant breeding, agronomic practices and modern biotechnological
techniques.
 Basically, biofortification is the process of growing crops to increase nutrition value from
the seed on.
 It is different from food fortification which involves improving the nutritional content of
food crops during the processing stage.
 In biofortification, the nutritional value of crops is improved during the plant growth
stage, i.e., nutritional micronutrient content is embedded in the crop being grown.
 Crops can be biofortified through selective breeding or genetic engineering. In India,
biofortification is done exclusively through selective breeding.
 The focus of biofortification research is iron, zinc and vitamin A deficiencies. These are
the micronutrients whose deficiencies affect the most number of people worldwide.
 In India, the focus is on pearl millet (iron), wheat (zinc), sorghum (iron), rice (zinc),
cowpeas (iron) and lentils (iron and zinc). Currently, biofortified pearl millet, rice, and
wheat are available to farmers in India.

Techniques of Biofortification
The major techniques or methods by which crops can be biofortified are mentioned below.
 Agronomic practices: This involves the application of fertilizers to increase the quantity
of micronutrients in plants grown in soil conditions that are poor in such
micronutrients/minerals.
 Conventional plant breeding: This involves traditional breeding methods by which
sufficient genetic variations are produced for the desired trait in crops such as high
content of any micronutrient. It involves crossing varieties over many generations to
ultimately yield a plant with high nutrient content along with other favourable traits. This
is the only method used in India for producing biofortified crops.
 Genetic engineering/modification: This involves inserting DNA into the genome of an
organism to introduce new or different characteristics such as being resistant to any
disease.

Examples of Biofortification
The following are some common examples of biofortification of food crops:
1. Iron biofortification – Rice, sweet potato, beans, legumes, cassava
2. Zinc biofortification – Rice, wheat, sweet potato, maize, beans
3. Provitamin A carotinoid biofortification – Cassava, maize, sweet potato
4. Amino acid and protein biofortification – Cassava, sorghum

The biological mechanism for biofortified crops improving nutritional status is simple:
biofortified crops are more nutrient-dense than non-biofortified varieties. Therefore, assuming
similar micronutrient bioavailability and retention after cooking or processing and storage,
persons will consume and absorb more micronutrients from eating biofortified crops than from
the same amount of non-biofortified crops(La Frano et al., 2014; De Moura et al., 2013)). In
populations with a diet limited in these micronutrients, the consumption of biofortified staple
crops can improve micronutrient intake. Hidden hunger is the term used to describe the
deficiency of micronutrients such as zinc and iron.

Benefits of Biofortification

According to many researchers, hidden hunger can be solved by biofortifying food crops.

 Biofortification helps in achieving overall health improvement in the people.

 Such crops are more resilient to diseases, pests, droughts, etc. and provide better yields.
 It offers a food-based, sustainable and low-dose alternative to iron supplements.
 It has the potential to reach the poorest section of society (who cannot afford food
supplements) and will also benefit farmers.
 It is highly cost-effective since once the initial research is done, the process can be easily
replicated and scaled.
 Biofortification done through non-genetically modified methods (like traditional plant
breeding done in India) is a better alternative then introducing GM crops that face
implementation barriers.
  In a country such as India, that faces huge nutritional challenges, biofortification is a
sustainable, cost-effective method that can help resolve this challenge.

o Various studies and reports show that India faces a huge challenge in the form of
undernutrition.

o Anaemia and iron deficiency are problems pervading society especially the
economically weaker sections and women.

Biofortification Challenges
Some of the challenges faced in biofortification and introducing biofortified food grains as part
of the daily diet are:

 Due to the colour changes in the grain, people hesitate to accept biofortified food as in
the case of golden rice.
 Farmers also should adopt this on a large scale.
 The initial costs also could be a barrier for people to implement.

Improving Micronutrient Content

Improving the micronutrient content of foods is essential for addressing nutritional deficiencies
and promoting overall health and well-being. Several strategies have been developed to enhance
the micronutrient content of foods, ranging from agricultural practices to food processing
techniques. In this discussion, we will explore some of these strategies and their effectiveness in
improving the micronutrient content of foods.

Soil Nutrient Management

Proper soil nutrient management is crucial for
enhancing crop micronutrient content. By
conducting regular soil testing, farmers can
identify deficiencies and apply targeted fertilizers,
including micronutrient supplements like zinc and
iron. Organic matter incorporation and sustainable
practices like cover cropping improve soil structure
and micronutrient availability, ultimately leading to
healthier crops.
Agronomic Practices
Agronomic practices play a vital role in optimizing micronutrient uptake by crops. Crop
diversification, precision agriculture techniques, and conservation tillage minimize nutrient loss
and promote soil health. Integrated pest management reduces reliance on chemical pesticides,
preserving beneficial soil microorganisms essential for nutrient absorption.

Food Processing Techniques

Food processing techniques significantly influence the micronutrient content and bioavailability
of foods. Minimal processing methods, such as blanching and freezing, help retain
micronutrients in fruits and vegetables, preserving their nutritional value. Fortification is a
widely used technique to enhance the micronutrient content of processed foods, including cereal
grains, milk, and cooking oils. Although milling and refining processes may remove nutrient-rich
outer layers of grains, efforts to fortify refined grains can help mitigate these losses. Innovative
processing methods, such as micronization and extrusion, improve the bioavailability of
micronutrients in processed foods, ensuring their absorption and utilization by the body. These
techniques contribute to enhancing the overall nutritional quality of processed foods and
combating micronutrient deficiencies in populations.

Addressing Malnutrition through Biotechnology

World hunger and food insecurity is a recurring problem in most parts of the developing world.
Among the many potential biotechnologies that are available, and the different ways in which
they can be applied, genetic modification
(GM) of crops demands particular
attention. Genetically modified crops
possessing genes from different species,
could possibly relieve global food
shortages. Although initial excitement
surrounded the use of GM crops – that
they will provide bigger and better harvests for farmers – there are still questions about the
benefits of such crops. In addition, the general public may not welcome the creation of “super
plants” as a viable option in solving global hunger (United Nations, n.d.).
The environmental Impact of GM crops is important with regard to creating food security in
developing countries. Genetically modified crops can potentially fail to germinate; kill organisms
other than pests that are beneficial to plants and reduce soil fertility; and potentially transfer
insecticidal properties or virus resistance to wild relatives of the crop species.
Nevertheless, the potential advantages that biotechnology can confer across a wide range of
agricultural applications are in areas such as livestock management, storage of agricultural
products and sustaining current crop yields, while reducing the use of fertilizers, herbicides and
pesticides. The real challenge is whether we are smart enough to harness the benefits of
biotechnological solutions. But what are these solutions?
Biotechnology offers a very promising alternative to synthetic foods and an improvement on
conventional plant-breeding technologies. Combined with other advanced agricultural
technologies, it offers an exciting and environmentally responsible way to meet consumer
demand for sustainable agriculture. When the benefits of GM crops reach small and marginal
farmers, more Green Revolutions may become a reality.

Combating Hunger and Malnutrition

Malnutrition is the related term in medicine for hunger. The most recent estimate of the Food and
Agriculture Organization says that 854 million people worldwide are undernourished. This is
12.6 per cent of 6.6 billion people in the world. Many of the 854 million that are undernourished,
children being the most visible victims, live in developing countries. Undernutrition magnifies
the impact of every disease, including measles and malaria.
One example tells us how biotechnology can contribute to combating global hunger and
malnutrition.

Golden Rice
Approximately 140 million children in low-income
groups in 118 countries, especially in Africa and
South-East Asia, are deficient in Vitamin A. This
situation has compounded into a public health
challenge. The World Health Organization reports
that an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 Vitamin A-
deficient children become blind every year, half of
them dying within 12 months of losing their sight.
Golden Rice, created by researchers in Germany and
Switzerland, contains three new genes – two from the
daffodil and one from a bacterium – that helps it to produce provitamin A. This rice is available
as a possible option for mass distribution, in part due to the waiving of patent rights by
biotechnology companies. This is just one among the hundreds of new biotech products, which
point to the contributions of biotechnology to society.

Crop Yield Enhancement

Throughout the existence of agriculture, one of the main issues of interest to farmers was the
issue of increasing crop yield. What are the best ways to increase crop yield per acre? What are
the factors that affect crop yield most? With the emergence of new challenges for agrarians, there
are also new ways and technologies appearing that are called to respond to them. What growers
can do for increasing crop yield on their farmlands and what new technologies can help farmers
in this matter.

What Is Crop Yield And Why Is It Important?

Crop yield is the measure of seeds
or grains which is produced from a
given land plot. It is usually
expressed in kilograms per hectare or
in bushels per acre. Such an indicator
as the average crop yield per acre
serves as the evaluation of a farmer’s
agricultural output on a particular
field over a specified time period. It
is considered to be probably the most
important measure of each farmer’s
performance, as it embodies the result of all the efforts and resources invested by agrarians in the
development of plants on their fields. What are the main factors that affect crop yield and what
are the most efficient and up-to-date solutions and technologies that can help farmers achieve
better yields on their fields?

Ways to Increase Crop Yields

Quality Of Seeds
Agricultural productivity depends on the quality of
seeds with which farmers sow their fields.
Therefore, in order to increase crop yield on their
farmlands, agrarians are recommended to sow only
certified seeds that have passed all the necessary quality controls. Certified seeds may cost
higher than those that do not have certification, but the result will be worth it, because the proper
quality of seeds is one of the main factors that affect crop yield. Besides that, planting only high-
quality seeds represents one of the eco friendly methods to increase crop yield. If needed, a
farmer can check the quality of particular seeds by referring to a relevant seed company and
requesting it to conduct special trials on a given land plot.
Apart from this, is it important to remember that the quality of seeds is not something that is
permanent and undamageable. Seed grains need protection from the moment they are planted in
the ground. Seed coating is one of the seed treatment techniques used to accomplish this. It is the
process of protecting seed grains with outer materials in order to improve their characteristics
(weight, size) and/or provide them with some active compounds (micronutrients, microbial
inoculants, growth regulators, etc.) called to protect them against plant diseases and boost their
growth.

Field Productivity Zoning

Before sowing, it is important for a farmer
to understand productivity of the field that
is to be sowed and, if applicable, define
specific areas where plants grow better.
This process is called productivity zoning.
In this way, a grower can plant seeds more
densely in the areas with greater
productivity, potentially getting increased
crop yield, and do not waste them much in
the zones with low productivity. Also, such
zoning allows farmers to properly treat the
field areas with lower productivity and take all necessary actions to increase soil fertility and its
overall important characteristics to grow a particular plant.
Today’s technologies allow farmers to carry out such productivity zoning of their fields faster
and more efficiently than before. For this purpose many agrarians use the EOSDA Crop
Monitoring software. With its high-precision technology and satellite-driven data, the growers
can generate field productivity maps based on the historical data and, thus, clearly identify the
areas with the highest and the lowest productivity on a given farmland.

Accurate Weather Prediction

The average crop yield per acre on a given field is
very much conditioned by weather factors. With
the same quality of soil and the same species of
seeds planted, the climate conditions have a
predominant influence on the development of plants and, consequently, on yields. It is especially
true when considering how climate change affects agriculture in separate regions and on Earth in
general. To work efficiently and cooperatively with such an important but uncontrollable factor
as weather, farmers have an opportunity to refer to the newest technological solutions in
agriculture that help them obtain accurate weather prediction.

Regular Scouting

Scouting is one of the important parts of agribusiness management aimed to ensure proper
development of plants and increase crop yields. Often, when a grower has large fields, it is
difficult and non-effective to scout acre by acre, as it is time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Proper Irrigation
Farmers who aim to increase an average crop yield per
acre on their fields must have a streamlined irrigation
system at hand. Providing the plants with the
appropriate amount of water directly affects the
development of plants and, consequently, the crop
yields. Effective irrigation of farmlands is closely
linked to weather forecasts.

Smart Application Of Fertilizers

Although fertilizers are intended to nourish the various
types of soil, boost plant growth, and increase yields, their
use should be balanced and prudent. Using too much
fertilizers can negatively affect the soil quality and,
therefore, the agricultural productivity. Within one field,
different areas may have different needs for soil fertilization, which is why the best solution here
is to use fertilizers selectively, depending on the need for them in different field zones. This
accurate approach to field fertilization helps keep the soil in good health, which helps increase
the average crop yield per acre.

Crop Protection Methods

Agrarians aiming to increase crop yields must take
care of their plants throughout their development
and up the end of the growing season. Depending on
the problem that may arise, farmers use different
substances to diminish the impact of weeds, pests or
diseases on crop yield. Such substances are usually
herbicides, insecticides, desiccants, plant growth
regulators, fungicides, adjuvants, etc.
In general, there are various crop protection methods. Among the main ones are weed/pest
management and plant disease management.

Weed And Pest Management

Weed control and pest management
are the biggest challenges for farmers
during the growing season. A single
weed, for example, can generate over
10 million weed seeds, and if they are
not managed in time, it can
substantially decrease the yields on a
given field and create problems for
years to come.
Pest infestations also require a
comprehensive management approach from agrarians. As pests are highly adaptable and fast-
reproducing organisms that can threaten the yield on a particular farmland, farmers must always
be ready to respond to the pest infestation issue in a timely manner.

Plant Disease Prevention And Management

Another important threat to a grower’s
agricultural output is represented by
plant diseases. Depending on the type
of plants to be grown on a field,
farmers can use various plant disease prevention and management methods, like selecting
disease resistant or disease tolerant varieties, treating seeds with fungicides, and applying
pesticides, and other similar substances on developing plants. Agrarians should pay special
attention to using these or other methods in time so that they have a maximum effect possible.
It is very important to remember that protecting plants in a timely manner is crucial for crop
yield per acre indicator – the sooner a problem is identified, the faster and easier it will be solved
and the fewer field acres will be affected.

Soil Testing & Its Quality

The quality of soil, i.e. its fertility, is one
of the main factors that affect crop yields.
Apart from agricultural productivity, the
soil quality also influences the cost for a
farmer to grow one or another plant, as
some of them require certain ratios of
specific elements in the soil, like mineral
particles, organic matter, water, air, etc. To
attain increased crop yields, farmers need
to closely monitor soil conditions on their
land plots. One of the best ways to
maintain the soil in good health is to practice crop rotation, among others. Alternating plants on a
given field plot prevents soil exhaustion and breaks pest cycles, which will result in better
agricultural output and, therefore, will increase the average crop yield per acre.
Impact of Biotechnology on Food Security
A global recession, along with highly increased food prices in many countries in unregenerate
manner, have caused some 100 million more people than last year suffering from silent hunger
and poverty that would leave the world extremely vulnerable (Najafi & Lee, 2014). The global
food crisis potentially imposes a serious risk towards world peace and security. The crop
production however will have to be dramatically increased to meet the need. The ability of
biotechnology to act as a tool to assist in solving the issue is far from being fully exploited. Low
crops production is considered to be the main reason for poverty and food insecurity in the
world. High percentage of poor and food insecure people are living in developing countries and
in rural areas. Therefore, biotechnology can:
1) increase the crops yield through introducing high-yielding varieties resistant to biotic and
abiotic stresses;
2) reduce pest associated losses and
3) increase the nutritional values of foods which is a very important factor in rural areas or
developing countries.
Furthermore, in order to reduce or eliminate food insecurity, postharvest approach in wasting less
is of a vital strategy to supplement increasing food productivity. Hence, the environmental issues
in supplying safe and nutritious foods in a sustainable manner should be taken into account.
Biotechnology research and development have already produced significant products on the
market, and will further have a pivotal role to play in encouraging and enhancing food
production, considering the safety and environmental quality.
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