Soil and landscape factors influence geospatial variation in maize grain zinc concentration in Malawi

Botoman, Lester; Chagumaira, Christopher; Mossa, Abdul‐Wahab; Amede, Tilahun; Ander, E. Louise; Bailey, Elizabeth H.; Chimungu, Joseph G.; Gameda, S.; Gashu, Dawd; Haefele, S. M.; Joy, Edward J. M.; Kumssa, Diriba B.; Ligowe, Ivy Sichinga; McGrath, Steve P.; Milne, Alice E.; Munthali, Moses Wazingwa; Towett, Erick K.; Walsh, Markus; Wilson, Lolita; Young, Scott D.; Broadley, Martin R.; Lark, R. Murray; Nalivata, Patson C.

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-12014-w

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Similarly, the grain Zn uptake between-plot variance component value was significantly higher than its between-site variance component value. This shows how maize grain Zn concentration and uptake is affected by the spatial variation of Zn in soil at short distances within the same geographical location in Malawi, consequently contributing to the observed variations in maize grain Zn concentrations in Malawi (Botoman et al, 2022;Gashu et al, 2021). Table 3 also shows the variance components for each random effect which were assumed in the original power analysis (Botoman et al, 2020).…”

Section: Effects Of Soil Type and Zn Fertilizer On Maize Grain Zn Con...mentioning

confidence: 98%

Agronomic biofortification increases grain zinc concentration of maize grown under contrasting soil types in Malawi

et al. 2022

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Zinc (Zn) deficiency remains a public health problem in Malawi, especially among poor and marginalized rural populations, linked with low dietary intake of Zn due to consumption of staple foods that are low in Zn content. The concentration of Zn in staple cereal grain can be increased through application of Zn‐enriched fertilizers, a process called agronomic biofortification or agro‐fortification. Field experiments were conducted at three Agricultural Research Station sites to assess the potential of agronomic biofortification to improve Zn concentration in maize grain in Malawi as described in registered report published previously. The hypotheses of the study were (i) that application of Zn‐enriched fertilizers would increase in the concentration of Zn in maize grain to benefit dietary requirements of Zn and (ii) that Zn concentration in maize grain and the effectiveness of agronomic biofortification would be different between soil types. At each site two different subsites were used, each corresponding to one of two agriculturally important soil types of Malawi, Lixisols and Vertisols. Within each subsite, three Zn fertilizer rates (1, 30, and 90 kg ha −1 ) were applied to experimental plots, using standard soil application methods, in a randomized complete block design. The experiment had 10 replicates at each of the three sites as informed by a power analysis from a pilot study, published in the registered report for this experiment, designed to detect a 10% increase in grain Zn concentration at 90 kg ha −1 , relative to the concentration at 1 kg ha −1 . At harvest, maize grain yield and Zn concentration in grain were measured, and Zn uptake by maize grain and Zn harvest index were calculated. At 30 kg ha −1 , Zn fertilizer increased maize grain yields by 11% compared with nationally recommended application rate of 1 kg ha −1 . Grain Zn concentration increased by 15% and uptake by 23% at the application rate of 30 kg ha −1 relative to the national recommendation rate. The effects of Zn fertilizer application rate on the response variables were not dependent on soil type. The current study demonstrates the importance of increasing the national recommendation rate of Zn fertilizer to improve maize yield and increase the Zn nutritional value of the staple crop.

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Section: Effects Of Soil Type and Zn Fertilizer On Maize Grain Zn Con...mentioning

confidence: 98%

Agronomic biofortification increases grain zinc concentration of maize grown under contrasting soil types in Malawi

et al. 2022

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“…For example, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, there was spatially correlated variation in cereal grain Zn concentration with wheat grain Zn concentration varying by more than 30% (~20–27 mg/kg) between districts ( 121 ). In Malawi, maize grain Zn concentration showed similar evidence of spatially correlated variation ( 27 ). Some of this variation was associated with soil and environmental covariates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…This may be due to increased synthesis of Zn chelating compounds in crops and/or increases in soil cation exchange capacity and retention of Zn in plant available forms. However, Bourne et al ( 27 ) noted these processes are complex. Furthermore, increased wheat grain Zn concentrations were associated with crop rotations that increased colonization of wheat roots by AMF and other fungi, for example by using clover ( Trifolium spp.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do agronomic approaches aligned to regenerative agriculture improve the micronutrient concentrations of edible portions of crops? A scoping review of evidence

et al. 2023

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Regenerative Agriculture (RA) is used to describe nature-based agronomic approaches that aim to build soil health and crop resilience, minimize negative environmental outcomes, and improve farmer livelihoods. A benefit that is increasingly attributed to crops grown under RA practices is improved nutritional content. However, we do not know the extent to which RA influences crop nutritional quality and under what management approaches and context, can such effects be realized. A scoping review of recent literature (Web of Science, 2000–2021) was carried out to assess the evidence that RA approaches improve crop micronutrient quality. Papers included combinations of agronomic approaches that could be defined as Regenerative: “Organic Inputs” including composts and manures, cover crops, crop rotations, crop residues and biochars; “Reduced Tillage”, “Intercropping”, “Biostimulants” e.g. arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; plant growth promoting bacteria, and “Irrigation”, typically deficit-irrigation and alternate wetting and drying. The crop types reviewed were predetermined covering common sources of food and included: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Rice (Oryza sativa L.), Maize (Zea mays L.), Pulses (Fabaceae), Alliums (Allium spp.), and “other” crop types (30 types). This scoping review supports a potential role for RA approaches in increasing the concentrations of micronutrients in the edible portions of several crop types under specific practices, although this was context specific. For example, rice grown under increased organic inputs showed significant increases in grain zinc (Zn) concentration in 15 out of 16 studies. The vitamin C concentration of tomato fruit increased in ~50% of studies when plants were grown under increased organic inputs, and in 76% of studies when plants were grown under deficit irrigation. Overall, the magnitude and reproducibility of the effects of RA practices on most crop nutritional profiles were difficult to assess due to the diversity of RA approaches, geographical conditions, and the limited number of studies for most crops in each of these categories. Future research with appropriate designs, improved on-farm surveillance and nutritional diagnostics are needed for better understanding the potential role of RA in improving the quality of food, human nutrition, and health.

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“…Recent “GeoNutrition” surveys using nationally representative sampling designs showed substantial spatially correlated variation in grain zinc concentration in staple cereals at distances of over 100 km in both Ethiopia and Malawi [ 77 ]. This variation in grain zinc concentration arises due to soil (e.g., soil pH, soil organic matter content) and landscape properties, which are interlinked in complex ways [ 78 ]. These surveys are consistent with earlier studies, for example, in Malawi, that have shown the grain zinc concentration of maize grown on calcareous Vertisol soils was ∼30% higher than the grain zinc concentration from other typical soils, resulting in a greater dietary zinc intake based on direct analyses of composite diets (6.4 vs. 4.8 mg/d) [ 79 ].…”

Section: Assessment Of Human Zinc Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preventing and Controlling Zinc Deficiency Across the Life Course: A Call to Action

Lowe,

Hall,

Broadley

et al. 2024

Advances in Nutrition

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Soil and landscape factors influence geospatial variation in maize grain zinc concentration in Malawi

Cited by 13 publications

References 46 publications

Agronomic biofortification increases grain zinc concentration of maize grown under contrasting soil types in Malawi

Agronomic biofortification increases grain zinc concentration of maize grown under contrasting soil types in Malawi

Do agronomic approaches aligned to regenerative agriculture improve the micronutrient concentrations of edible portions of crops? A scoping review of evidence

Preventing and Controlling Zinc Deficiency Across the Life Course: A Call to Action

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