A joint study conducted by researchers from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Flinders University, Australia; Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana; Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal; and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi has identified regions in the wheat genome responsible for concentration of zinc in wheat grain.
The researchers have also identified candidate genes involved in zinc concentration in wheat. The findings can potentially help in developing wheat varieties with enhanced levels of the micronutrient.
Researchers have found 39 new molecular markers and two genome segments that carry important genes for zinc uptake, translocation, and storage by analyzing zinc concentrations. A total of 330 wheat lines were analysed from different environments in India and Mexico.
About 30 per cent of Indian population is estimated to have zinc deficiency. Children below 5 years of age and pregnant women are more vulnerable for nutrient deficiency.