Current Acquaintance on Agronomic Biofortification to Modulate the Yield and Functional Value of Vegetable Crops: A Review

Fresh vegetables and fruits have always been the mainstays of good nutrition as providers of fiber, beneficial phytochemicals (such as vitamins and phenolic compounds), and minerals. Today and in the future, biofortification is a promising strategy to increase the concentration of these compounds. Considering the importance of minerals in human health, the enrichment of fresh produce for consumption has been considered through specific agronomic approaches. This review discusses, in detail, the latest findings on vegetable agronomic biofortification, aimed at increasing the concentration of crucial minerals, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and silicon (Si), in edible portions, focusing on the direct and indirect effects of this strategy. Although agronomic biofortification is considered a feasible technique, the approach is complex due to the many interactions between the microelement bioavailability for both plants and consumers. Therefore, the effects of biofortification on human health and the influence of beneficial and antinutritional compounds were discussed in detail to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this practice.

Automated summary

Fresh vegetables and fruits have always been important sources of nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Biofortification is a promising strategy to increase the concentration of these compounds in the produce. This review discusses the latest findings on agronomic biofortification, focusing on increasing the concentration of crucial minerals in edible portions of vegetables. The effects on human health and the influence of other compounds were also analyzed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this practice.