Marker‐assisted introgression of rare allele of β‐carotene hydroxylase (crtRB1) gene into elite quality protein maize inbred for combining high lysine,tryptophan and provitamin A in maize

Vitamin A deficiency in humans is a widespread health problem. Quality protein maize (QPM) is a popular food rich in lysine and tryptophan, but poor in provitamin A (proA). Here, we report the improvement of an elite QPM inbred, HKI1128Q for proA using marker‐assisted introgression of crtRB1‐favourable allele. HKI1128 was one of the parental lines of three popular hybrids in India and was converted to QPM in our earlier programme. Severe segregation distortion for crtRB1 was observed in BC₁F₁, BC₂F₁ and BC₂F₂. Background selection by 100 SSRs revealed mean recovery of 91.07% recurrent parent genome varying from 88.78% to 93.88%. Across years, introgressed progenies possessed higher mean β‐carotene (BC: 9.22 µg/g), β‐cryptoxanthin (BCX: 3.05 µg/g) and provitamin A (proA: 10.75 µg/g) compared to HKI1128Q (BC: 2.26 µg/g, BCX: 2.26 µg/g and proA: 3.38 µg/g). High concentration of essential amino acids, viz. lysine (mean: 0.303%) and tryptophan (0.080%) in endosperm, was also retained. Multi‐year evaluation showed that introgressed progenies possessed similar grain yield (1,759–1,879 kg/ha) with HKI1128Q (1,778 kg/ha). Introgressed progenies with higher lysine, tryptophan and proA hold immense potential as donors and parents in developing biofortified hybrids.     

Uptake and remobilization of selenium in Brassica napus L. plants supplied with selenate or selenium‐enriched plant residues

Selenium (Se) biofortification via crops is one of the best strategies to elevate the daily Se intake in areas where soil Se levels are low. However, Se fertilizer recovery (SeFR) is low and most of the Se taken up accumulates in non‐harvested plant parts and returns to the soil with plant residues. A pot experiment with soil was undertaken to study the efficiency of inorganic Se (Na₂SeO₄) and Se‐enriched plant residues for biofortification, as well as to identify the bottlenecks in Se utilization by Brassica napus L. The soil was fertilized with Na₂SeO₄ (0 and 7 µg Se kg^?1) or with Se in stem or leaf residues (0 and 7 µg Se kg^?1). A treatment with autoclaved soil was included (0 and 7 µg kg^?1 as Na₂SeO₄) to unravel the impact of microbial activity on Se uptake. The Se‐enriched plant residues produced a lower Se uptake efficiency (SeUPE) and SeFR than did inorganic Se, and soil autoclaving enhanced Se accumulation in the plants. The time required for decomposition seems to preclude crop residues as an alternative source of Se. Furthermore, B. napus had a limited capacity to accumulate Se in seeds. The study shows that the bottlenecks in Se biofortification appear to be its low bioavailability in soil and poor loading from the silique walls to seeds. Thus, improved Se translocation to seeds would be a useful breeding goal in B. napus to increase SeFR.     

长江中下游地区主推小麦品种的硒强化潜力研究

为了筛选适宜叶面喷施硒强化的理想品种,对63个近年来长江中下游主推小麦品种（系）进行叶面喷施硒酸钠,强化浓度为300 mg Se/L（Se300）,利用离子发射光谱-原子吸收仪测定了小麦籽粒中Se、Cu、Fe、Mn、Zn、K、Mg、K和S含量。结果显示,叶面喷施硒酸钠可以提高小麦籽粒中的硒含量,总硒含量平均值由对照组的2.13±0.73 mg/kg提高到9.13±3.86 mg/kg,但增幅因品种而异;籽粒中不同矿物质元素对叶面喷施硒酸钠的响应不同,硒降低了籽粒中Cu、Fe、K、Mg和S的含量,但提高了锌的含量,对Mn和Ca元素含量没有影响。综合比较显示江麦816是长江中下游主要推广品种中硒强化潜力较大的品种（系）之一。     

水稻锌生物有效性及通过土壤-植物系统强化锌含量的研究进展

锌是植物和人体所必需的微量营养元素之一。对水稻可食部锌富集机制、锌的生物有效性及通过土壤-植物系统强化和调控锌含量的研究进展等方面进行了简要综述。     

A Robertsonian translocation from Thinopyrum bessarabicum into bread wheat confers high iron and zinc contents

Development of wheat–alien translocation lines has facilitated practical utilization of alien species in wheat improvement. The production of a compensating Triticum aestivum–Thinopyrum bessarabicum whole‐arm Robertsonian translocation (RobT) involving chromosomes 6D of wheat and 6E^b of Th. bessarabicum (2n = 2x = 14, E^bE^b) through the mechanism of centric breakage–fusion is reported here. An F₂ population was derived from plants double‐monosomic for chromosome 6D and 6E^b from crosses between a DS6E^b(6D) substitution line and bread wheat cultivar ‘Roushan’ (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) as female parent. Eighty F₂ genotypes (L1–L80) were screened for chromosome composition. Three PCR‐based Landmark Unique Gene (PLUG) markers specific to chromosomes 6D and 6E^b were used for screening the F₂ plants. One plant with a T6E^bS.6DL centric fusion (RobT) was identified. A homozygous translocation line with full fertility was recovered among F₃ families and verified with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Grain micronutrient analysis showed that the DS6E^b(6D) substitution line and T6E^bS.6DL stock have higher Fe and Zn contents than the recipient wheat cultivar ‘Roushan’.     

Breeding for provitamin A biofortification of maize (Zea mays L.)

Vitamin A deficiency is widely prevailing in children and women of developing countries. Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness, growth retardation, xerophthalmia and increases the susceptibility against epidemic diseases. Among different interventions of overcoming malnutrition, biofortification is the most acceptable and preferred intervention among researchers, growers and consumers. Maize is grown and consumed in those regions where vitamin A deficiency is most prevalent; thus, targeting this crop for provitamin A biofortification is the most appropriate solution. Different breeding strategies including diversity analysis, introduction and stability analysis of exotic germplasm, hybridization, heterosis breeding, mutagenesis and marker‐assisted selection are practised for exploring maize germplasm and development of provitamin A‐enriched cultivars. Genome‐wide association selection and development of transgenic maize genotypes are also being practised, whereas RNA interference and genome editing tools could also be used as potential strategies for provitamin A biofortification of maize genotypes. The use of these breeding strategies for provitamin A biofortification of maize is comprehensively reviewed to provide a working outline for maize breeders.     

Biofortification of onion bulb with selenium at different levels of sulfate

In this research experiment, two commercial onion cultivars (Allium cepa L., cvs. Dorrcheh and Cebolla Valenciana) were grown in sand culture and exposed to two levels of selenium (Se) (0 and 25?µM) and two levels of sulfate (1 and 3?mM). According to the results obtained, addition of 25?µM Se in combination with 3?mM sulfate was not only effective in significant increase of onion bulb yield, but it significantly increased Se concentration of bulb. By considering the average consumption of onion in central Iran, the daily intake of Se via consumption of Se-biofortified onion is estimated to be 68.4–77.2?µg in spring and summer and 72.6–117.1?µg in fall and winter. These amounts of daily intakes of Se is higher than the sufficient levels of Se recommended by world health organization (WHO) but less than the maximum tolerable level of Se (400?µg Se per day) for human.     

水稻吸收、运输锌及其籽粒富集锌的机制

 锌是人体必需而又易缺乏的营养元素。在粮食作物可食部位生物强化锌被认为是解决人体缺锌的最有潜力的途径。水稻根吸收锌可分为分泌麦根酸等根系分泌物将土壤颗粒中的金属离子活化和重金属转运蛋白把锌离子转运进植株根部两个过程,ZIP家族基因在后一过程中发挥重要作用。水稻锌在木质部中运输主要以离子态为主,也可同有机酸、尼克酰胺等配体协同运输。地上部锌通过韧皮部再转运到新生组织或装载进入籽粒,水稻韧皮部再转运能力是影响籽粒富锌的关键因素,而锌大量累积在糊粉层中或与植酸等结合后,大大降低了锌的生物有效性。研究粮食作物籽粒富锌机制,利用现代分子生物技术生物强化籽粒中的锌含量,对满足人类锌营养健康具有重要意义。综述了锌在植物体内的生理功能,水稻对锌的吸收、运输和再转运,锌装载进入籽粒,锌在植物体内的分布与赋存形态,以及锌在粮食作物中的生物强化等最新研究进展。     

Variations in Concentration and Distribution of Health-Related Elements Affected by Environmental and Genotypic Differences in Rice Grains

Malnutrition is one of the major problems inmost of the developing countries, especially amongwomen, infants and children. Biofortification is a verynew strategy to enhance the bioavailability ofmicronutrients in staple food by using advancedbreeding meth…     

Prospects of breeding biofortified pearl millet with high grain iron and zinc content

Development of crop cultivars with elevated levels of micronutrients is being increasingly recognized as one of the approaches to provide sustainable solutions to various health problems associated with micronutrient malnutrition, especially in developing countries. To assess the prospects of this approach in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), a diverse range of genetic materials, consisting of 40 hybrid parents, 30 each of population progenies and improved populations, and 20 germplasm accessions, was analysed for grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content, deficiencies of which adversely affect human health. Based on the mean performance in two seasons at ICRISAT, Patancheru, India, large variability among the entries was found, both for Fe (30.1–75.7 mg/kg on dry weight basis) and Zn (24.5–64.8 mg/kg). The highest levels of grain Fe and Zn were observed in well‐adapted commercial varieties and their progenies, and in the parental lines of hybrids, which were either entirely based on iniari germplasm, or had large components of it in their parentage. There were indications of large within‐population genetic variability for both Fe and Zn. The correlation between Fe and Zn content was positive and highly significant (r = 0.84; P < 0.01). These results indicate that there are good prospects of simultaneous selection for both micronutrients, and that selection within populations, especially those with the predominantly iniari germplasm, is likely to provide good opportunities for developing pearl millet varieties and hybrid parents with significantly improved grain Fe and Zn content in pearl millet.