Zinc Biofortification in Rice (*Oryza sativa* L.)

*Anjali Singh*

## **Abstract**

Rice is a major energy source and micronutrient for more than half of the world's population, but it lacks enough zinc to meet human nutritional needs. In addition, climate change, especially rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, is reducing zinc levels in grains. Therefore, rice bio-enrichment has been identified as a major goal for increasing zinc levels in grains to alleviate global zinc deficiency. There is a wide range to accelerate the development of High Zn varieties by applying biotechnology tools such as gene gun method and advanced genomics technology Successful intake and consumption requires an effective rice value chain, quality control and promotion of Zn bio-enriched varieties. Low zinc uptake, transport, and grain load have been identified as major bottlenecks in rice zinc bio enrichment. Nevertheless, the environmental and genetic factors of grain zinc accumulation in rice have not been fully studied. This review critically examines important genetic, physiological, and environmental variables that affect zinc uptake, transport, and utilization in rice. It also studies the genetic diversity of rice germ plasms and provides new genetic tools for bio-enhancement of zinc.

**Keywords:** rice, malnutrition, biofortification, zinc, biotechnology

### **1. Introduction**

Biofortification is the process of increasing the nutrient content of a plant from seed to harvest. This is different from food fortification, which increases the nutritional value of edible crops during processing. Biofortification improves the nutritional value of crops during the plant's growth stage by embedding micronutrient content in growing crops. Bioenhancement of crops can be achieved by breeding or genetic engineering. In India, this is only done by breeding. Iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies are the focus of bioenhanced research. These are micronutrients that affect most people around the world. In India, pearl millet (iron), wheat (zinc), sorghum (zinc), rice (zinc), sage (iron) and lentils are the main products (iron and zinc). Currently, bio-enriched pearl millet, rice and wheat are available to Indian farmers.

Biofortification, on the other hand, avoids the other three options by focusing on the production of nutrient-rich crops that can be cultivated and propagated using current agricultural practices. Fortification requires the use of unnatural additives,

#### **Figure 1.**

*Transformation of plants via A. tumefaciens.*

but bio-fortification depends on the natural ability of the plant to produce and store nutrients. Agricultural bioenrichment, also known as bioenrichment, is the use of inorganic fertilizers to improve mineral element concentrations and/or mineral element mobility and soil solubility of edible plant parts. Agricultural bioenhancement is simple and inexpensive, but requires special attention to nutrient supply, application, and environmental impact. Biofortification is the process of improving plant species to increase the nutritional value of the ingested product. The following are some of the key approaches that can be taken with the Plant Breeding Initiative to increase the nutrient content of the foods produced. Rice breeding for higher grain Fe and Zn content, rice breeding for higher grain carotene content, rice breeding for higher grain folic acid content, plant transformation techniques, protoplast transformation, fine particles Transformation with a gun (or microscopic gun), transformation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, identification and in vitro-transformation tissue selection, gene expression and regulation, protein expression, proteomics. For vitamins in the Fe, Zn, and B complexes, it is necessary to confirm the occurrence of variability among rice genotypes. Therefore, it is possible to select these materials within the breeding program. Simple selection of these superior genotypes in terms of nutritional value, albeit with traditional breeding techniques, may benefit the consumption of rice by the human population (**Figure 1**)[1].

#### **2. Benefits of biofortification**

In India, a movement similar to the Green Revolution aimed to end hunger. The country is expanding its edible grain production and is now almost self-sufficient as a result of the Green Revolution. The government is implementing several programs and measures to ensure that the population is consuming enough calories. However, the current focus is on improving the nutrient content of the diet. Many people do not get enough nutrients from their food intake, even if they have "sufficient food." The result is a problem called "hidden hunger."
