Micronutrient Enrichment of Rice, Wheat and Grain Legumes by Agronomic Management

1
Micronutrient Enrichment of Rice, Wheat and Grain
Legumes by Agronomic Management John M.
Duxbury Cornell University Soil Management
CRSP Funded by US AID
2
Common Mineral Micronutrient Deficiencies in
South Asia
Plants Zn, B, Mo People Fe - anemia 50 Zn
- 95 at risk 47 have intake less than
recommended
3
Micronutrient Enrichment of Seed/Grain

• Hypotheses
• Micronutrient dense seeds generated by
  fertilization of mother plant will increase crop
  yields by
• - overcoming soil micronutrient deficiencies
• - increasing plant resistance to soil borne
• pathogens and parasitic nematodes
• and will
• - address human micronutrient deficiencies

4
Foliar fertilization increases Zn, Mn, Cu, Mo and
Ni in wheat and rice grain


Zn Mn Zn Mn
Cu Mo Ni Cu Mo Ni
Similar results with different varieties
5
Soil fertilization increases Zn and Mo content of
wheat grain on farms in Bangladesh
Data is mean of 6 sites
6
Soil fertilization only increases grain Mo in rice
Soil Application on 13 Farms Research
Experiment (BR33)
7
Zn (and Cu) availability drops greatly in reduced
soils
Sarah Johnson, PhD, 2004
8
Soil fertilization increases B content of
chickpea and lentil grain but only has a small
effect on Zn
Sarah Johnson, PhD, 2004
9
Micronutrient enriched seed improves crop
performance
10
Seed micronutrient enrichment increased seedling
emergence, growth and root health of Kanchan
wheat in farmer soils

• Data are mean of 9 farmer soils
• Letters indicate significant difference at plt0.05

11
Micronutrient enriched seed gives higher wheat
yields compared to soil fertilization
12
Rice yields respond to Zn and Mo enrichment of
seed
Research Station
Farmer Fields
NS
NS
Differences significant at p lt 0.5 unless
indicated (NS)
13
Zn enriched rice can meet RDI for Bangladesh
children
Data in part from Anne-Marie Mayer PhD thesis,
2004
14
Summary

• Foliar fertilization enriched the grain of rice
  and wheat with Zn, Cu, Mo, and Ni
• Soil fertilization was effective for enriching
  wheat grain with Zn, Cu, Mo and B but only
  increased Mo in rice (effect on B not tested)
• Soil fertilization with Zn and B had little
  effect on grain Zn but increased grain B of
  lentils and chickpea
• Rice and wheat seedlings from micronutrient
  enriched seeds resisted soil borne pathogen and
  nematode stresses and gave higher yields
• Zn enriched rice can supply adequate amounts of
  this nutrient to children in Bangladesh

15
Acknowledgements Cornell Univ. J. Lauren, Y.
Zavala, S. Johnson (PhD at CU now IRRI), A-M
Mayer (PhD at CU now Bristol, UK) USDA-ARS,
Ithaca R. Welch Bangladesh Md. Bodruzzaman
(BARI), N. Elahi (BRRI), C. Meisner, CIMMYT
Thank You..