Zn-mobilizing bacteria improve shoot biomass and zinc content in wheat.
Berza B, Assefa F, Wubet T, Behrendt U, Yang S
Soil Health
PubMedThe wheat flour in your bread likely contains less zinc than it should — these natural soil bacteria could change that, helping grow more nutritious food without extra chemicals.
Scientists found special bacteria living in the soil around wheat roots that can unlock zinc trapped in the soil and deliver it to the plant. When they added these bacteria to wheat grown in pots, the plants grew significantly taller and heavier, and absorbed far more zinc into their roots and leaves. This is exciting because zinc deficiency affects billions of people worldwide, and this could be a cheap, eco-friendly way to grow more nutritious wheat.
Key Findings
Three bacterial isolates (W8_A, W25_A, W63_B) achieved zinc solubilization index greater than 4.0, indicating strong zinc-mobilizing ability.
Using all three bacteria together increased wheat shoot length by 67.4% and dry weight by 84.2% compared to untreated controls.
Root zinc content increased by 90.2% and shoot zinc content by 75.5% on average compared to untreated control plants.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Soil bacteria collected from Ethiopian wheat fields can significantly boost both the growth and zinc content of wheat plants, offering a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers for improving the nutritional quality of food crops.
Abstract Preview
Enhancing zinc (Zn) content in wheat grains by using Zn-mobilizing rhizosphere bacteria is becoming an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to conventional approaches such as chemical fertiliza...
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