Biofortified Pearl Millet Cultivars offer Potential Solution to Tackle Malnutrition in India

Dietary deficiency of micronutrients has been recognized as a widespread food-related health problem, affecting more than 2 billion people

Abstract

Dietary deficiency of micronutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin A), leading to micronutrient malnutrition or hiden hunger, has been recognized as a widespread food-related health problem, affecting more than 2 billion people worldwide (White and Broadley, 2009; Stein 2010; fao,2015; Darnton-Hill and Mkparu, 2015). This is primarily attributable to lack of affordability and access to diversified diet, such as fruits, vegetables and livestock products. As a consequence, women, children and infants, belonging to the poorer section of society are malnourished. In particular, deficiencies of iron and zinc are widespread, leading to numerous adverse health consequences , as they play a vital role in various physiological body functions.

This article is an output of the HarvestPlus programme

Citation

Govindaraj, M and Virk, P S and Kannati, A and Cherian, B and Rai, K N and Anderson, M S and Pfeiffer, W H (2020) Biofortified Pearl Millet Cultivars offer Potential Solution to Tackle Malnutrition in India. In: Quantitative Genetics, Genomics and Plant Breeding. CAB International, pp. 385-396.

Biofortified Pearl Millet Cultivars offer Potential Solution to Tackle Malnutrition in India

Published 22 April 2021