IRON FERTI – FORTIFICATION IN GRAIN AMARANTHUS (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)
Loading...
Date
2020
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY B.A. COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE ANAND AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY ANAND
Abstract
The practice of intensive cropping with hybrid varieties for boosting food
production in India has caused nutrient depletion in soil, consequently macro and
micronutrient deficiencies are reported in soils of India. Further, micronutrient
deficient soils result in production of food/feed/fodder low in micronutrient
content/density and that in the long-run have been inflicting their deficiency in
humans and animals. Hence, the rampant micronutrient deficiency in soils has
resulted in increased incidence of micronutrients deficiencies in animals and humans
in recent years and taking a toll on the food and economic security of the country in
terms of the yield and economic losses due to unmatched yield goals (Shukla et al.,
2014). Attempts are made to enhance micronutrient content in cereal grains and there
is a need to explore the possibility of such improvements in other locally available
food crops. One such crop that could be considered suitable for this purpose is of the
genus Amaranthus. The amaranth grains contain relatively higher iron content than
in cereal grains.