A review on the trends of maize biofortification in alleviating hidden hunger in sub-Sahara Africa

Msungu, Selly D.; Mushongi, Arnold; Venkataramana, P.; Mbega, Ernest R.

doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111029

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…The prevalence of nutritional insecurity remains a hindrance to achieving Sustainable Development Goal-2 (SDG-2), and it is more prominent in SSA. There are many reports of the pervasiveness of food insecurity in Africa [6,62,63]. The food security challenge is compounded by inadequate nutritional security resulting in dire health situations that call for effective mitigation endeavors [2,64].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Genetic Enhancement of Nutritional Quality of Tropical Maize in West and Central Africa

Gedil,

Mengesha,

Ilesanmi

et al. 2024

Agriculture

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Micron3 nutrient deficiencies are pervasive in the diets of millions of people in developing countries, calling for effective mitigation measures. The development of biofortified cultivars through breeding holds promise for sustainable and affordable solutions to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Breeding efforts in the past decade have resulted in dozens of biofortified open-pollinated varieties and hybrids adapted to diverse agroecological zones. Advances in genomics and molecular tools enabled rapid identification of maize cultivars enriched with essential micronutrients such as pro vitamin A (PVA), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). Leveraging Multi-omics-driven discovery of the genetic factors underlying the vast array of nutritional traits is paramount to mainstreaming breeding for quality traits in the product profile. Molecular breeding schemes, and integrating emerging Omics tools at every stage of the breeding pipeline, are vital to enhancing genetic gain. The recent momentum in elucidating the metabolism of micronutrients should be expanded to novel breeding targets as well as to the simultaneous enhancement of nutritional qualities while curtailing anti-nutritional factors in staple food crops. Harnessing new technologies to establish comprehensive and integrated breeding approaches involving nutrigenomics, genome editing, and agronomic biofortification is crucial in tackling nutritional insecurity. This review highlights the prospect of integrating modern tools in hastening the genetic improvement of nutritionally enriched maize.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Genetic Enhancement of Nutritional Quality of Tropical Maize in West and Central Africa

Gedil,

Mengesha,

Ilesanmi

et al. 2024

Agriculture

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“…While it is, in general, suggested to limit the consumption of refined grains, there is a trade-off; in Kenya, for example, maize and wheat flour is fortified with several vitamins and minerals [ 24 ], which would increase nutrient intake. However, fortified flours mainly reach consumers in urban areas, while food fortification in rural areas is rather ineffective because of a weak industrial infrastructure [ 30 ]. In areas where mainly one’s own or locally produced cereals without fortification are consumed, as it is the case in our study areas, the suggestion to eat more whole grains and limit the consumption of refined grains still hold true.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems: Calculating the WISH Scores for Women in Rural East Africa

2023

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Diets should be healthy for the benefits of both humans and the environment. The World Index for Sustainability and Health (WISH) was developed to assess both diets’ healthiness and environmental sustainability, and the index was applied in this study. Food intake quantities for single foods were calculated based on the data collected from four 24-h recalls during two seasons in 2019/2020 with women of reproductive age in two rural areas each in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (n = 1152). Single foods were grouped into 13 food groups, and the amount of each food group consumed was converted to an overall WISH score and four sub-scores. The food groups with a low WISH score were fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, fish, unsaturated oils and nuts, meaning that their consumption was outside the recommended range for a healthy and sustainable diet. Contrariwise, the intake of red meat and poultry was partly above the recommended intake for those women who consumed them. The overall WISH score and sub-scores showed that the consumption of “protective” food groups needed to increase in the study population, while the consumption of “limiting” food groups was sufficient or should decrease. For future application, we recommend dividing food groups that are critical for nutrition, e.g., vegetables, into sub-groups to further understand their contribution to this index.

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“…Human beings depend on staple food crops (SFCs) like wheat, rice, maize and other grain crops due to their nutritional benefits and energy reserves (Msungu et al, 2022 ). The seeds of SFCs contribute greatly to the agricultural enterprise with potentiality to supply nutritional requirements, ensure zero hunger and fight malnutrition (Kiean et al, 2022 ).…”

Section: Staple Food Crops and Seed Microbiomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The seed microbiomes of staple food crops

Sun,

Adeleke,

Shi

et al. 2023

Microbial Biotechnology

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The scientific community increasingly recognized that seed microbiomes are important for plant growth and nutrition. The versatile roles and modulating properties that microbiomes hold in the context of seeds seem to be an inherited approach to avert adverse conditions. These discoveries attracted extensive interest, especially in staple food crops (SFCs) where grain was consumed as food. Along with the rapid expansion of population and industrialization that posed a severe challenge to the yield of SFCs, microbiologists and botanists began to explore and engineer seed microbiomes, for safer and more fruitful grain production. To utilize seed microbiomes, we present an overall review of the most updated scientific literature on three representative SFCs (wheat, rice and maize) using the 5W1H (Which, Where, What, Why, When and How) method that provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue. These include which factors determine the composition of seed microbiomes? Where do seed microbiomes come from? What are these seed microbes? Why do these microbes choose seeds as their destination and when do microbes settle down and become seed communists? In addition, how do seed microbiomes work and can be manipulated effectively? Therefore, answering the aforementioned questions regarding SFCs seed microbiomes remain fundamental in bridging endophytic research gaps and harnessing their ecological services.

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A review on the trends of maize biofortification in alleviating hidden hunger in sub-Sahara Africa

Cited by 19 publications

References 75 publications

Advances in Genetic Enhancement of Nutritional Quality of Tropical Maize in West and Central Africa

Advances in Genetic Enhancement of Nutritional Quality of Tropical Maize in West and Central Africa

Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems: Calculating the WISH Scores for Women in Rural East Africa

The seed microbiomes of staple food crops

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