Department of Plant Sciences

Agricultural approaches are suggested to increase micronutrients in cereal grain and then to alleviate human malnutrition. A long-term (1999-2007) field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of three nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 130 and 300 kg N/ha) on micronutrient density in wheat grain and its milling fractions. There were three N rates in this trail: 0, 130 and 300 kg N/ha. At maturity, grains were harvested and fractionated into flour, shorts and bran for micronutrients, N and protein analysis. The results showed that N fertilization increased iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) density in wheat grain compared to the control. Increase of N application rate from 130 to 300 kg N/ha, however, didn't further increase the three micronutrient density in grain. Most micronutrients were accumulated in bran while the lowest micronutrient concentrations were found in the flour. High N application increased Zn and Cu densities in three fractions while for Fe, its density in shorts and bran were increased, not in flour. Manganese (Mn) concentration in grain was not influenced by N application. It is concluded that nitrogen plays an important role in micronutrient accumulation in wheat grain. Proper nitrogen fertilizer management has a potential to enhance both micronutrients and grain protein.