Researchers genetically modify rice to have higher iron, zinc

A team of researchers led by Navreet Bhullar from the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology at ETH Zurich has genetically modified one of the most commonly grown varieties of rice. The results of their work are published in Plant Technology Journal. The genetically modified variety of rice is better at mobilizing its cellular stores of zinc and iron and depositing in the white part of the rice grain (known as endosperm). This means that the micronutrients are transported and concentrate there.

To achieve this enrichment, Bhullar and her team incorporated a genetic construct expressing a combination of three additional genes into the rice plants. One of these genes facilitates mobilization of iron stored in the plant vacuoles, another encodes for an iron-storing protein Ferritin, and the third promotes efficient iron and zinc uptake by the roots. By doing this, the researchers were able to develop rice lines with iron increases equaling more than 90% of the recommended iron content and up to 170% of the recommended content for zinc in rice grains.

These plants have been tested in the lab and greenhouse conditions, and will be tested in field experiments in the near future. “First we have to confirm that the plants retain similar levels of zinc and iron in the grains under the field conditions. Once we’ve done that, we should assess the bioavailability of these increased nutrients for humans. It can take years before these modified varieties of rice may reach to the public,” said Bhullar.

Study