Question

Define biofortification.

Answer 1

Hint: Biofortification is nothing but breeding of crops, in order to increase the nutritional value of the crops, and this biofortification can be done either by normal selective breeding or through genetic engineering, and the crops produced by the bi fortification have more nutrition value.

Complete answer:
Biofortification can be done in any of the below-given methods, which include
> Selective breeding: In this method, the seeds of high nutrition value are searched either naturally or in the germ banks, and these high nutritive seeds are crossed with high yield crops, in order to produce more yield of the high nutritive crop.
This method of selective breeding is more prevalent and it costs less compared to other biofortification processes.

> Genetic Modification
In this method, the genes of the crops are modified, one of the examples of gene modification crop is Golden rice, here the seeds are genetically modified with the gene of soil bacteria Erwinia, which increase the level of beta carotene, in the body this beta carotene is converted to the vitamin A. Golden rice was developed by focusing on vitamin A deficiency.

> Seed priming: The example for seed priming is that wheat seeds are bombarded with iron nanoparticles, and these crops which grow are rich in iron and can be used in the iron deficient population.

> Use of biofortification
In the majority of low and middle-income countries, the people are depending on food like wheat, rice, maize as their staple food, and these crops are lacking some micronutrients, which may cause deficiency disorders. This method of biofortification increases the nutrition value of crops.

Note: Sometimes, there is a problem with biofortified food if there is any change in characteristics like the color of the seeds, etc, which is unlike fortified food, so it’s very important to educate the farmers and people for biofortified food, and farmers should be educated and encouraged to make biofortification.