Malnutrition is mainly caused by iron and zinc micronutrient deficiencies affecting about half of the world's population across the globe. Biofortification of staple crops is the right approach to overcome malnutrition and enhance nutrient contents in the daily food of humans. This study aimed to evaluate the role of foliar application of iron and zinc in Trichoderma harzianum treated soil on various growth characteristics, quality, and yield of wheat varieties. Plants were examined in the absence/presence of T. harzianum, and iron and zinc micronutrients in both optimal and high-stress conditions. Although the symbiotic association of T. harzianum and common wheat is utilized as an effective approach for wheat improvement because of the dynamic growth promoting the ability of the fungus, this association was found tremendously effective in the presence of foliar feeding of micronutrients for the enhancement of various growth parameters and quality of wheat. The utilization of this approach positively increased various growth parameters including spike length, grain mass, biomass, harvest index, and photosynthetic pigments. The beneficial role of T. harzianum in combination with zinc and iron in stimulating plant growth and its positive impact on the intensities of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) alleles make it an interesting approach for application in eco-friendly agricultural systems. Further, this study suggests a possible alternative way that does not merely enhances the wheat yield but also its quality through proper biofortification of iron and zinc to fulfill the daily needs of micronutrients in staple food.
The term “clean agriculture” refers to a kind of farming that does not include synthetic inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Various may think that the methods of clean agriculture are one method, but they have many ways, all of which come under the development of important natural systems. Bio and organic agriculture is an integral part of clean agriculture. Bio and organic agriculture rely on well-established scientific foundations related to the natural balance in the universe. They are preserving natural resources such as soil, water and air elements in the production of clean crops, in addition to several factors that must be combined and optimally utilized in protecting crops from various disease and insect infestations, as well as taking care of the environment and preserving it from pollution.
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