The article is open access: https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.70051
Summary
- Bread wheat, the world's second major food crop, is crucial for global nutrition. Enhancing Zn and Fe bioavailability in wheat grain can combat human nutritional deficiencies. There is demonstrated potential for AM fungi to support these goals through increased uptake of Zn and Fe into wheat. However, AM fungi can also increase P uptake, leading to higher phytic acid levels in the grain, which can hinder Zn and Fe absorption in the digestive system.
- Eight Australian wheat varieties were grown with or without AM fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis) and two soil P treatments (addition of 0 or 25 mg P kg−1 soil) in a controlled growth environment. At maturity, plants were harvested and analysed for grain biomass, nutrition, phytate and 2D spatial elemental distribution within grain using X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy.
- Our results indicated that the AM-colonised plants had greater grain biomass and accumulated greater amounts of P and Zn in whole grain and Zn in the aleurone layer, but not Fe. Increased P did not raise phytate levels, leading to overall higher Zn and Fe bioavailability in AM-inoculated plants compared to non-inoculated controls.
- AM fungal inoculation could be a promising strategy for producing wheat grain with higher micronutrient bioavailability for human nutrition, without compromising agronomic practices (P fertiliser application) or yield targets.
heya, check out the summary i posted :)