Application of Bio-Fortification Through Plant Breeding to Improve the Value of Staple Crops

The document discussed the global challenge of mineral deficiency, particularly iron and zinc, which affected over half of the human population, leading to health issues such as poor growth, compromised development, and hair loss. It highlighted that non-diversified cereal and plant-based diets were the primary cause of micronutrient deficiencies. To address this, bio-fortification through plant breeding was presented as an effective strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of staple crops by adding essential minerals. The document also mentioned other approaches like dietary diversification, supplementation, and fortification to combat micronutrient malnutrition.