“Bio-fortification options/success story - wheat”, presented by Arun Kumar Joshi, CIMMYT at the ReSAKSS-Asia Conference, Nov 14-16, 2011, in Kathmandu, Nepal.
1. Arun K. Joshi, Ravi P. Singh & Govindan Velu
CIMMYT
Zn and Fe rich wheat in developing
countries of Asia; where we are!
2. • Micronutrients are
important (many; Zn, Fe)
• But only few can afford
healthy diet in many
countries – south Asia!
• Around 1 billion suffer
from Zn and Fe
deficiency (globally); a
vast number is in south
Asia
Photo: Livestrong.com
3. Metal-containing & metal-binding proteins in 2 species identified by proteomic techniques.
Gladyshev et al., 2004
Central Role of Zinc in Life on Earth
Source: Hans J. Braun, 2010
4. Source: Ivan Ortiz-Monasterio
• Wheat means - a 5th of humanity’s food, and is first as
a source of protein.
• It is an especially critical “staff of life” for the
approximately 1.2 billion “wheat dependent” to 2.5
billion “wheat consuming” poor—men, women and
children who live on less than USD 2 per day—and
approximately 30 million poor wheat producers and
their families.
• Demand for wheat in the developing world is projected
to increase 60% by 2050.
Source: WHEAT, CIMMYT, 2011
Wheat is important
6. Target Areas for Zn/Fe dense Wheat
Baseline
Micronutrient Level in
Commercial Crop 25
µgg-1
Target Increment to
be added
8 µgg-1
Wolfgang H PFEIFFER
ME1: Temperate Irrigated High
Production NWPZ
ME5: Irrigated High
Temperature Stress EGPZ
Expected
release -
2013
7. • South Asia
continue to be
“plow to plate”
• Nutrient rich,
agronomically
superior mega
wheat varieties
may ensure
reaching the
masses
8. 2004-2009
Discover genes and
sources of variation
2009-13
Develop varieties
2014+
Deliver to clients
Frequently asked
questions
Will it be possible
to breed nutrient
rich varieties?
Will these be
bioavailable?
Will such varieties
will meet farmers
expectations?
HarvestPlus initiative of IFPRI
10. Zn and Fe grain
concentrations
are internal
traits; agronomic
or external
advantages are
most appealing
to farmers
14. Wheat
30 μgg-1
best Zn sources crossed to elite
wheat adapted to target areas
X
baseline
25 μgg-1
Cd. Obregon, March 2009
Zn Content
Zn Concentration
Best deployed to India & Pakistan for
GxE Performance Testing on-station &
on-farm
15. N = >1200
N =
>800
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
<20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 >55
Grain Zn concentration (mg/kg)
%entries
Zn conc in 2009-10
Zn conc in 2008-09
Progress in Zn and Fe concentration
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
<20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50
Fe concentration (mg/kg)
%entries
Fe conc 2009-10
Fe conc 2008-09
N = >1200
N = >800
CIMMYT trials;
more lines with
more nutrition
20. Zinc deficiency in Wheat
Example from Turkey – Chakmak et al., 2009
Minor things can give major impact
21. “Drought Stress” Zn Foliar Spray
Source: Hans J. Braun, 2009
Zn spray may give more yield as well as more
Zn in the grain
22. Breeding for Bioavailability
InulinPhytic acid
++
O
OO P
O
H O
OO P
O
O
OO P
O
O
O OP
O
O
OHO P
O
O
OO P
O H
H
H H
H
1
2
34
5
6
++
++
Mg
++
Fe
Ca
Ca
Zn
++
O
OO P
O
H O
OO P
O
O
OO P
O
O
O OPP
O
O
OHO PP
O
O
OOO P
O H
H
H H
H
1
2
34
5
6
++
++
Mg
++
Fe
Ca
Ca
Zn
++
Bioavailability
amount of a nutrient in a food that is
absorbable from a typical diet and utilizable
whithin body to perform metabolic functions
Anti-nutrients Promoters
Wolfgang H PFEIFFER
Dissect ‘Bioavailability’ into Components
which can be translated into breeding targets
Direct Micronutrient
Enhancement
24. Delivery
Two channels
Normal (public sector)
Fast track (private
sector) – speed, twice of
public sector
Farmers participatory
selection – to speed
up dissemination
26. The way forward
• Continue research in strong
linkage mode with NARS
colleagues
• Combine with core traits to
make it sustainable
• New issues; new science
• Bring more budget for major
breeding programs in each
country
• Encourage private sector
• Think of premium price for
nutrient rich varieties