Zinc biofortification strategies in food-type soybean cultivars

摘要

Reducing the risk of Zn-deficiency in humans by diversifying human diet and through agricultural interventions, such as agronomicbiofortification, is still a major challenge. This greenhouse study used a number of biofortification strategies to investigate theeffect of Zn fertilization on soybean grain cultivars intended for human consumption. A completely randomized 5×3 factorial designwith four replications was used. The design included five different Zn application strategies as the main plot. These were (1) soilapplication; (2) foliar application at the vegetative growth stage 4 (V4) growth stage; (3) foliar application at vegetative growthstage 8 (V8); (4) foliar application at reproductive growth stage 4 (R4); and (5) a control (without Zn). Three soybean cultivars (BRS213, BRSMG 790A, and BRS Favorita RR ? ) were assigned as sub-plots. Zinc foliar fertilization at stage R4 was found to be the mostefficient method for soybean cultivation when Zn availability in the soil was low. The cultivars had different Zn accumulationresponses, and the cultivar BRSMG showed the highest Zn increase. Zinc fertilization increased the protein content in soybeangrain, plant height, and the number of grains per plant.