Zn-fortified cereal grains in field-grown barley by enhanced root cytokinin breakdown.

ABSTRACT: Zinc (Zn) is an essential element in human nutrition. The concentration of Zn in cereals, which is a staple food in developing countries, is often too low thus contributing to Zn malnutrition in nearly two billion people worldwide. We have reported recently that transgenic barley plants expressing a cytokinin-degrading CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE (CKX) gene in their roots form a larger root system and accumulate a higher concentration of Zn in their grains when grown under greenhouse conditions. Here, we have tested this trait under field conditions. Four independent pEPP:CKX lines accumulated an up to 30% higher Zn concentration in their grains as compared to the untransformed control suggesting that this is a stable trait. The increased Zn concentration exceeded the limit set by the

SUBMITTER: Ramireddy E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6279334 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature