Iron biofortification through genetic modification in rice, wheat, and cassava and its potential contribution to nutritional security

Abstract

Micronutrient malnutrition is one of the major concerns noted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In developing countries, children under the age of five and pregnant women are at the highest risk of adverse events from micronutrient malnutrition. Staple food crops that are common in developing countries are rich in carbohydrates but low in micronutrients, especially iron. Genetic biofortification of staple food crops in farmer-preferred cultivars is a promising approach to deliver nutritious food, enhanced in iron concentration, to consumers who are at risk of malnutrition. In order to achieve biofortification, it is critical to understand the processes of iron uptake, regulation, transport dynamics, and whole-plant iron storage and how to manipulate them in individual crops. In this review, case studies of staple food crops including rice, wheat, and cassava are used to introduce iron biofortification strategies in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous species, along with a discussion of consumer-based considerations for the deployment of biofortified crops also presented.