Recent developments in rice genomics with special reference to zinc

Abstract

Zinc is an essential nutritional element for both plants and humans. In human beings, Zinc deficiency has a detrimental impact on growth, neuronal development, and immunity, and in severe cases its consequences are lethal. To address the malnutrition of global population, we have better option is that enhancing of nutritional value of food crops especially rice, where rice is staple diet for more than 2 billion people in Asia and 400 million in Sub -Saharan Africa. Zinc concentration in rice can be accelerated by improving the efficacy of rice plant in zinc uptake from the soil, root to shoot translocation and loading into the grain. This review discusses about recent advances in rice genomic studies in mapping QTL(s), characterization of Zn and Iron regulated tsransporter like protein (ZIP) gene family and transgenic approaches associated with increased efficiency of metal uptake and transport and lowering the expression of phytic acid which is indirectly involved in obstructing Zinc accumulation in grain endosperm and how it can enhance its absorption and utilization in human metabolic functions.