Concentration and Localization of Fe and Zn in Wheat Grain as Affected by Its Application to Soil and Foliage.

Nutritional status of people can be improved by enhancing zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) content in cereals used as staple mainly in poor resource countries. Zinc and Fe were applied through soil and foliage in a study to biofortify wheat grains. Foliar application of both micronutrients increased the growth and grain vigor as compared to soil application and control. Also, foliar application significantly enhanced Zn and Fe concentration in grain pre-dominantly localized in aleurone layer. Exogeneous application of Fe and Zn was found beneficial for plant growth and enhanced Fe and Zn concentrations in grain, however aleurone layer and embryonic region of the grain showed higher accumulations than that in endosperm. Therefore, understanding of physiological and molecular pathways for uptake and localization of Fe and Zn in wheat grains need to be critically examined to improve their concentration in grain to achieve the biofortification targets.

Aflatoxins in corn and rice sold in Lahore, Pakistan.

A survey was conducted to evaluate aflatoxin contamination of commonly used food in Lahore, Pakistan. In this context, 1125 samples of various food commodities were collected from various areas of Lahore city. In corn-based products AFB1 was detected in 52% (range 2.0-1405.3 µg kg(-1)) and AFB2 in 25% (range 1.0-55.2 µg kg(-1)) of the samples. In super kernel basmati rice, 13.3% of the samples (range 1.1-32.9 µg kg(-1)) showed the presence of AFB1, 1.9% was contaminated with AFB2 (range 1.0-8.1 µg kg(-1)) and only one sample exhibited the presence of AFG1. As far as the status of basmati rice is concerned, 18.3% was contaminated with AFB1 (range 1.0-15.4 µg kg(-1)) and 2% was contaminated with AFG1. In 42.9% of parboiled rice (range 1.1-9.2 µg kg(-1)) and 36.4% of broken rice (range 2.1-25.3 µg kg(-1)), samples were contaminated with AFB1.