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Crop and Pasture Science Crop and Pasture Science Society
Plant sciences, sustainable farming systems and food quality
Crop and Pasture Science

Crop and Pasture Science

Volume 73 Numbers 7 & 8 2022

Special Issue

Mineral Biofortification and Metal/Metalloid Accumulation in Food Crops (Part III)

Guest Editor:
Shahid Hussain

CP21436Iron fortification of food crops through nanofertilisation

Gaurav Chugh 0000-0002-8011-8855, Kadambot H. M. Siddique 0000-0001-6097-4235 and Zakaria M. Solaiman 0000-0001-7014-7532
pp. 736-748

Iron is an essential microelement that plays a vital role in plant and human growth, and metabolism, but its deficiency is widely reported. Crops must have improved nutritional qualities or be biofortified to combat micronutrient deficiency. Using nanoparticles as nanofertilisers is a promising approach for improving the current agricultural practices and the biofortification of food crops. This review evaluates the current use of iron nanofertilisers for biofortification in food crops, and critical knowledge gaps and challenges that must be addressed to optimise the sustainable application.

CP21458Yield, zinc efficiencies and biofortification of wheat with zinc sulfate application in soil and foliar nanozinc fertilisation

Arshad Jalal, Fernando Shintate Galindo, Leandro Alves Freitas, Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira, Bruno Horschut de Lima, Íngrid Torres Pereira, Graziela Franceschini Ferraz, Jeferson Silva de Souza, Kaway Nunes da Costa, Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira 0000-0002-1783-3311 and Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho 0000-0003-2303-3465
pp. 749-759

Zinc deficiency in plant and human are common. In this context, our study was hypothesised that the combine soil and foliar nano Zn (new technology) application may be a better strategy to improve zinc use efficiency, grain yield and biofortification of wheat. This manuscript indicates that soil Zn application along with 3 kg/ha of foliar nano Zn increased plant and grain zinc concentration and accumulation, dry matter, grain yield, Zn partitioning index and Zn intake in wheat.

CP21465Selenium bioconcentration in Canadian oat (Avena sativa) from soils treated with nanoscale elemental selenium

Sahar Zeinali, Kyong Sup Yoon, Elizabeth Esselman and Zhi-Qing Lin 0000-0002-3365-3820
pp. 760-768

Elemental selenium is generally water insoluble and not bioavailable for plant uptake. However, elemental selenium in nanoscale of 70–75 nm can be taken up by Canadian oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Saddle), and concentrations of selenium in oat tissues increased with an increasing treatment level of nanoscale elemental selenium in the soil. Compared with the control, the soil treatments with nanoscale elemental selenium at 1–10 mg/kg significantly enhanced the oat grain yield.


Agronomic biofortification is a promising approach to alleviate zinc and iron malnutrition in human beings. The combined soil/foliar application of zinc and nitrogen, iron and nitrogen, and zinc, iron and nitrogen leads to enhanced nutrient concentrations in edible parts of crop plants. This approach not only improves the micronutrient (zinc and iron) concentration but also the economic yield, and thus, is a win–win situation for growers as well as consumers.

CP21735Nitrogen fertilisation affected zinc and selenium biofortification in silage maize

Klara Petkovic 0000-0002-3784-3736, Maja Manojlovic, Ranko Cabilovski 0000-0001-9798-9908, Zdenko Loncaric 0000-0003-4927-3969, Ðorde Krstic, Dragan Kovacevic 0000-0001-9602-088X and Marko Ilic
pp. 781-791

Nitrogen can affect the uptake of some microelements and their joint application can preserve forage yield and replenish the necessary minerals in the animal diet. This study has confirmed that the fertilisation of silage maize (Zea mays L.) with N and Se plus Zn could be an important tool in achieving such requirements. Crop biofortification is important due to the increase of essential mineral content in the animal diet, and indirectly human diet through the enrichment of the food chain.

CP21501Selenium application methods and rates for biofortification of common bean and their residual effects on Mombaça grass

Suellen Nunes de Araújo, Jéssica Francisco Raymundo, Fábio Freire Ribeiro Costa, Josimar Henrique de Lima Lessa, Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme and Guilherme Lopes 0000-0002-7898-798X
pp. 792-803

The effectiveness of agronomic biofortification with selenium may depend on methods and rates of application; and these factors may also influence residual effects on succeeding crops. We studied different methods for applying Se for biofortification of common bean and assessed residual effects of soil Se additions on Mombaça grass. The biofortification efficacy varied among the assessed Se addition methods. Se-enriched fertilisers showed residual effects, since they were efficient for increasing Se contents in Mombaça grass grown in the second experiment without Se application.

CP21313Improving micronutrient density in basmati rice and durum wheat through summer green manuring and elemental sulfur fertilisation

Sunil Mandi 0000-0002-6512-8019, Yashbir Singh Shivay 0000-0001-5700-2785, Radha Prasanna 0000-0002-1622-9817, Dinesh Kumar, Tapan Jyoti Purakayastha, Vijay Pooniya, Somanath Nayak, Obaidullah Raihan, Kirttiranjan Baral and Madan Pal
pp. 804-816

Green manuring and elemental sulfur (S) fertilisation is an innovative approach for biofortification of cereal grain cropping system. Sunhemp green manuring increased Zn and Mn by 11%, Fe by 18% and Cu by 17% in basmati rice grain compared with fallow (no green manuring). Sulfur applied at 40 kg ha−1 to basmati rice and durum wheat increased grain Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn as well as grain yields in both crops compared with a no-S (control).

CP21457Agronomic biofortification and productivity of wheat with soil zinc and diazotrophic bacteria in tropical savannah

Arshad Jalal, Carlos Eduardo da Silva Oliveira, Leandro Alves Freitas, Fernando Shintate Galindo, Bruno Horschut Lima, Eduardo Henrique Marcandalli Boleta, Edson Cabral da Silva, Vagner do Nascimento, Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira 0000-0002-1783-3311, Salatiér Buzetti and Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho 0000-0003-2303-3465
pp. 817-830

Strategies are needed to improve zinc (Zn) nutritional quality of wheat, to increase dietary intake within the human population. Therefore, we hypothesised that inoculations of different diazotrophic bacteria might have synergetic relationships with soil Zn application, in relation to plant and grain concentrations, growth, yield, ZnUE and daily intake of biofortified wheat grains. We verified that agronomic biofortification of staple food with Zn in combination with diazotrophic bacteria is one sustainable and feasible strategy to improve plant nutrition, nutrient use efficiency and production and combat Zn malnutrition in human beings.

CP21711Combined zinc and selenium biofortification in field peas under Mediterranean conditions

Maria D. Reynolds-Marzal, Angélica M. Rivera-Martín, Nuno M. Pinheiro, Sara M. Rodrigo, Oscar Santamaria 0000-0001-5087-6519 and Maria J. Poblaciones 0000-0002-1559-2382
pp. 831-841

A deficient intake of zinc and selenium, essential micronutrients with antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-viral properties, is common in humans and livestock worldwide. This deficiency can be alleviated by agronomic biofortification, a practice that increases their concentrations in edible parts of crops through mineral application. The present study has demonstrated the suitability of field peas to be biofortified under Mediterranean conditions, since the Zn and Se combined application produced an enriched grain in these nutrients and a higher grain yield.


Zinc (Zn) deficiency in basmati rice grown under submerged conditions leads to decreased crop yields and nutritional quality. Application of Zn increased grain and straw yield in basmati rice and improved Zn content and uptake in plants grown in Zn-deficient soil. Zn application at 10 kg ha−1 was the best treatment to attain high yield and maximum profit in a Zn-deficient soil.


Selenium is an essential element for humans and animals. This study reports on the enrichment of selenium in rocket plants and the results showed that when selenium is added as selenate, the plants accumulate high amounts of selenium. Although further research is needed to optimise the selenate application rate so as to avoid leaching and subsurface water contamination, it seems feasible to produce a vegetable of high nutritional value for human consumption without negatively affecting the environment.


The information on metal distribution into mung bean tissues from zinc oxide nanoparticle supply under cadmium stress is meagre and is crucial for the judicial selection of fertiliser for agronomic biofortification. Interaction between zinc oxide nanoparticles and cadmium displayed a synergistic relation for cadmium accumulation and zinc biofortification. Zinc oxide nanoparticle application up to 4 μM concentration couldn’t restrict cadmium accumulation and zinc supply ensured cadmium tolerance to plants through enhancing dry matter yield.

CP21771Iron bio-fortification and heavy metal/(loid)s contamination in cereals: successes, issues, and challenges

Muhammad Irfan Sohail 0000-0001-9687-3567, Muhammad Zia ur Rehman 0000-0002-9042-9171, Tariq Aziz, Fatima Akmal, Muhammad Azhar, Faisal Nadeem, Mustansar Aslam, Ayesha Siddiqui and Muhammad Awais Khalid
pp. 877-895

Iron (Fe)-deficiency in cereal crops is causing worldwide malnutrition and many metabolic disorders such as anaemia in human. Along the low accumulation of Fe in cereals, heavy metals i.e. (Cd, Pb, Hg etc) contamination in agricultural soils are transferring to humans, causing more adverse impacts on human health sustainability. We review recent advances in biofortification approaches; i.e. agronomic, transgenic and genetic approaches, while simultaneously addressing Fe biofortification and heavy metals mitigation in food chain for sustainable living.

CP21726Organic amendments for crop production, phosphorus bioavailability and heavy metal immobilisation: a review

Shamim Al Mamun, Shatabdi Saha, Jannatara Ferdush, Tanmoy Roy Tusher 0000-0002-2088-9180 and Md. Saiful Islam 0000-0002-3598-0315
pp. 896-916

Continuous use of inorganic phosphate fertilisers (iPFs) adversely affects soil fertility, reduces plant phosphorus-use efficiency, increases soil heavy metal concentrations, and poses severe human health risks. This article summarises the potential of organic amendments (OAs) over iPFs to stimulate plant growth and yield, increase phosphorus availability in soil, and reduce plant heavy metal uptake by immobilising them in soil. This summary will contribute towards organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices.


Lead is a toxic element that inhibits the growth and development of plants and causes mutations in DNA. In this study, the effects of Halopteris filicina extract on tolerance to lead stress in tomato plants were determined by measuring changes in chlorophyll content, root and stem length and DNA stability. Depending on the lead concentration, H. filicina extracts were found to reduce lead uptake and oxidative stress.


The recent increasing trend of industrialisation has imposed heavy metal pollution that has affected crop productivity worldwide. Understanding the physiological and molecular mechanism through omic approaches is a prerequisite to improve the target mechanism in crops, which is still lacking. The present manuscript emphasises the current understanding of physiological and molecular mechanisms and proposes an integrated omic study to improve the sustainability of crop production.

CP21484Marker-assisted selection and validation of DNA markers associated with cadmium content in durum wheat germplasm

Ahmad Alsaleh 0000-0001-7078-3221, Faheem Shehzad Baloch, Ugur Sesiz 0000-0003-1234-4276, Muhammad Azhar Nadeem, Rüstü Hatipoglu, Mustafa Erbakan and Hakan Özkan
pp. 943-956

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) has great genetic diversity and is widely used in human diets but has the potential to accumulate Cd, which has significant adverse effects on human health. We assessed 130 durum wheat accessions phenotypically and using three different molecular markers. Results showed that utilisation of appropriate molecular markers will reduce the time and cost for grain Cd evaluation, and will allow durum breeders to accelerate progress to select genotypes with desired alleles.

CP21419Trigonella foenum-graecum morphophysiological and phytochemical processes controlling iron uptake and translocation

Wiem Mnafgui 0000-0001-5855-4899, Valeria Rizzo, Giuseppe Muratore 0000-0003-3676-7580, Hichem Hajlaoui, Bianca de Oliveira Schinoff 0000-0002-0270-0196, Kais Mnafgui and Amine Elleuch
pp. 957-968

Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for all organisms, but it can be toxic as a heavy metal when in excess. This work was conducted to evaluate morpho-physiological responses of fenugreek to high doses of Fe. Antioxidant enzymes were enhanced to detoxify reactive oxygen species activity produced under Fe stress. High-performance liquid chromatography phenol analysis showed a production of special compounds under Fe stress. We conclude that fenugreek is an accumulator plant that uses multiple mechanisms to adapt to Fe stress.

CP21583Cadmium and lead excess differently affect growth, photosynthetic activity and nutritional status of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Fadwa Melki, Ons Talbi Zribi, Sabrine Jeder, Faten Louati, Issam Nouairi, Haythem Mhadhbi 0000-0003-0786-4269 and Kais Zribi 0000-0001-8856-9573
pp. 969-980

Heavy metals can cause several damages in physiology and nutrition of legumes plants. Our work showed that cadmium and lead induced a diminution of growth and a perturbation of physiological and biochemical process. Moreover, lead was shown less harmful to fenugreek. On the other hand, legumes could be used in the phytostabilisation process in polluted soils. Lead is more accumulated in the roots than cadmium, and then it is more suitable to be used for remediation of Pb-polluted soil.

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