Creating Range of Bioavailable Nutrients in a Single Plant Species

In the developing world, people often eat a diet with limited variety, consisting of a single staple crop that is poor in nutritional content. However, most of the modifications confer only a single new, desirable trait; moreover, even when crops have been fortified for the diet of one region, the variety may not be ecologically adjusted to or traditionally consumed in other regions.

I have this challenge

the problem

We currently lack a strategy for the effective, efficient, and socially and culturally acceptable alteration of a major dietary staple, to achieve the delivery of multiple micronutrients, such as minerals and vitamins, to poor populations in a single food. Moreover, genetic changes could ensure higher protein content and the presence of essential amino acids. If we can use transgenesis, biochemistry, selective breeding of plants, and other appropriate technologies such as apomixes, to provide combinations of micronutrients, vitamins, and essential amino acids in a bioavailable form in local crops, such as rice, wheat, sorghum, millets, cassava, potatoes, maize, bananas and others, or to enhance energy density and improve protein quality in such foods, in a socially and culturally acceptable way, populations once facing hunger could be fulfilled nutritionally by staple crops. Potential benefits include the reduction of morbidity and mortality from malnutrition improving health and sustainable development in underserved populations.

ideas

To use transgenesis, biochemistry, selective breeding of plants, and other appropriate technologies such as apomixes, to provide combinations of micronutrients, vitamins, and essential amino acids in a bioavailable form in local crops, such as rice, wheat, sorghum, millets, cassava, potatoes, maize, bananas and others, or to enhance energy density and improve protein quality in such foods, in a socially and culturally acceptable way. Potential Benefits include reduction of morbidity and mortality from malnutrition.

attributions

Emily Nelson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-nelson-bbaba7183/

Global Grand Challenges, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/create-full-range-optimal-bioavailable-nutrients-single-staple-plant-species

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