Kropff said Asian giant China may also begin adopting the fortified wheat varieties this year.
Over the next decade, he said he expects nearly all newly deployed wheat varieties to be nutritionally improved, noting that the high-zinc varieties were developed by traditional breeding techniques instead of research based on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This is something that is really starting in a big way this year, said Kropff, who also pointed to CIMMYT-developed zinc-enhanced corn that was introduced in Colombia over the past two years. I m super proud of this, he added, touting the seeds ability to dent malnutrition via one of the world s grains staples.
Reuters
Published: 15 Apr 2021 12:06 PM BdST
Updated: 15 Apr 2021 12:07 PM BdST FILE PHOTO: A harvester is used to deposit wheat crop on a tarpaulin in a field on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad March 24, 2015. REUTERS
Scientists at a leading global grains research institute expect to sharply ramp up new wheat varieties enriched with zinc that can boost the essential mineral for millions of poor people with deficient diets, the institute s head told Reuters. );
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Martin Kropff, director general of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), said he expects the newly-developed high-zinc wheat to make up at least 80% of varieties distributed worldwide over the next ten years, up from about 9% currently.