Micronutrient Nutrition and Biofortification of Cereal Crops
This community investigates how plants absorb, transport, and utilize essential micronutrients—specifically boron, zinc, and iron—to optimize crop yield and grain nutritional quality.
The research focuses heavily on the physiological responses of major food crops, including wheat, rice, maize, and pearl millet, to varying levels of soil micronutrients. A significant portion of the work addresses the dual challenge of micronutrient deficiency and toxicity, particularly regarding boron and zinc. Methods include foliar application, soil fertilization, and the analysis of nutrient uptake mechanisms. A central theme is biofortification, aiming to increase the concentration of zinc and iron in edible grain parts to improve dietary intake. The work also examines the interaction between these micronutrients and other nutrients like nitrogen and manganese, as well as the impact of oxidative stress on plant growth and yield stability.
The community is most prominent in boron research, representing 6.0% of all tracked boron papers, followed by manganese (2.3%) and zinc (1.8%). Boron also contributes the highest raw paper count within this group, with 8,552 papers, while zinc and iron follow with 4,773 and 4,219 papers respectively.
The community comprises 23,554 papers, publishing most frequently in the Journal of Plant Nutrition, Plant and Soil, and Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis.
Recent work continues to explore the integration of microbial siderophores for plant iron nutrition and the genetic variability affecting rice yield. Newer studies also examine the concentration of zinc, iron, and protein in contemporary wheat cultivars relative to human health targets, alongside the role of bHLH transcription factors in regulating growth and stress responses in cereal crops.