Iron Augmentation by Agronomic Bio Fortification to Supplement Nutritive Value of Rice

Abstract

Rice is one of the largely consumed cereal and masses have been expressed
anemia conditions. Iron augmentation of rice varieties had been carried out
by agronomical biofortification for enhancing the concentration of particular
minerals. In the present study, biochemical changes in root and shoot tissues of
six rice varieties were investigated in response to augmented iron concentrations
at vegetative stages and yield. The increase in grain yield per plant was higher
in HBC19 , PUSA1121 while lowest in Govind. Palman579 showed maximum
increase while Super had minimum increase of in thousands grain weight at
higher augmentation level. Increase in numbers of seeds per panicle was also
observed in all rice varieties while maximum by PUSA1121followed by Super.
Fe content in roots and shoots increased with increase in Fe concentration.
Roots of HBC19 and Palman579 and shoots of PUSA1121 contained higher
iron. Highest iron in dehusked grains was recorded in Palman579 followed by
HBC19, PUSA1121, HKR120, Super and Govind. Production of toxic super
oxide radical, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation, enhanced in all the
varieties with increase in Fe concentration. Antioxidative metabolites’ contents
(ascorbic acid and glutathione) and activities of antioxidative enzymes [super
oxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione
reductase] invariably increased with increasing iron treatment in both root
and shoot. The less accumulation of reactive oxygen species along with the
gradual increase in anti oxidative metabolites’ contents and enzymes’ activities
at higher iron augmentation treatments observed a superior ROS scavenging
system along with greater ability to restrict the damage to cellular membranes
due to lipid per oxidation may recommend the adaptation of varieties