Zinc Solubilization and Mobilization: A Promising Approach for Cereals Biofortification

Abstract

Plants are an important component of the ecosystem and vital for survival of human beings. As human beings need nutrition for their proper growth and development, plants also require different nutrients to complete their life cycle. Among the all essential nutrients, zinc is one of the important nutrients required not only by plants but also by human beings. Several researchers have reported the decline in zinc level of Indian soils. An approx. 47–49% of Indian soils are facing zinc deficiency, which is continuously rising up. The deficient soils are not able to supply the crop the required amount of nutrients, since soils with zinc deficiency are unable to provide an adequate amount of nutrients. The cereal crop like rice is prone to face zinc deficiency worldwide. Keeping in view such global crop issues, a greater attention is required to fulfil the zinc requirement of crop by different agronomic and plant breeding approaches. Zinc biofortification becomes one of the promising strategies to supply zinc in the crop at an optimum level. Zinc solubilization and mobilization are one of the suitable strategies to overcome zinc-deficiency issues. The chapter has emphasized on mechanism of biofortification and its challenges and limitations for adoption at ground level. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.