Biofortification of Iron in Potato Through Rhizobacteria and Plant Growth Regulator

Abstract

Millions of people around the world have iron deficiency, which is one of several important nutritional disorders. Despite recent advances in the prevention and treatment of these deficiencies, it is estimated that over two billion individuals worldwide are at risk for vitamin A, iodine, and/or iron insufficiency. Many major health concerns can result from micronutrient deficits. Lack of iron, folate, B12, and A may cause anemia. Anemia causes weariness, weakness, breathlessness, and disorientation due to low red blood cell or hemoglobin levels. Biofortification, a way to make staple foods with more micronutrients, could help lower malnutrition. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can boost the amount of iron in edible plant tissues by making it easier for iron to get to those tissues. A pot experiment was conducted at ISES, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, to evaluate the impact of well-characterized rhizobacterial strains (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Bacillus simplex) alone and in combination with L-tryptophan (a plant growth regulator (PGR)) on agronomic, tuber, and nutritional attributes of potato. Results revealed that inoculation significantly enhanced the iron content of potato tubers compared to control plants. When rhizobacteria, L-tryptophan, and iron were added to the soil, the number of tubers grew by 68.24% compared to the control plants where neither PGPR nor PGR was applied. Biofortifying potatoes with microbes can help people get more micronutrients, especially in countries with few resources. These results showed that PGPR can help plants get more Fe from the soil if more Fe is added to the soil. These results provide support for the hypothesis that microbial aided biofortification in crops might reduce human micronutrient insufficiency, particularly in areas with little resources.