Zinc Fertilization of Cereals for Increased Production and Alleviation of Zinc Malnutrition in India

Abstract

Zinc deficiency has emerged as the fourth important micronutrient deficiency in humans. Zn deficiency is responsible for diarrhoea in infants, dwarfism in adolescents and loss of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in adults. The loss of DALYs in India is estimated at 2.8 million. Since cereals are staple food in India and other Asian countries, fortification of their grains with Zn is a simple way to overcome Zn deficiency in humans in these areas. Efforts are underway to breed cereal cultivars with grains higher in zinc, but this requires considerable time. Fertilization of cereals with Zn is a faster, quicker and certain way to increase zinc content in cereals and this practice needs to be put in place without any delay. © 2013 NAAS (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences).