Biofortification of field-grown cassava

Micronutrient deficiency, sometimes called the “hidden hunger,” causes severe health problems in hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and is particularly damaging to children, in whom it can impair both physical and cognitive development.

Biofortification is one of the most promising tools available for alleviating this problem, but is a multifaceted challenge involving not only creating nutrient-rich crop varieties, but also ensuring bioavailability of these nutrients, protecting against increased uptake of toxins such as cadmium, and adoption by affected populations.

Image: X-ray Fluorescence images, obtained at CHESS, comparing localization of Fe, Zn, and Ca in the stems and storage roots of several genetically distinct varieties of Cassava; (from Narayanan et al, doi: 10.1038/s41587-018-0002-1). Scale bars: 1 mm.