A Review on Zinc-enriched Rice Research: A Multidimensional Exploration from Genetic Breeding to Nutritional Enhancement

doi:10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0428

Abstract

Abstract:

Zinc is an essential trace element for us. About 2 billion people in the world are suffering from hidden hunger caused by zinc deficiency. Zinc nutrition enhancement of rice is an efficient way to solve this problem. This review systematically synthesized advances in zinc-enriched rice research across genetic breeding, physiological mechanisms, and cultivation techniques. It summarized the application of molecular marker-assisted selection, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and space mutagenesis in developing high-zinc varieties; analyzed the functions of zinc transport proteins (e.g., OsZIP, OsHMA2) and nicotianamine (NA)-mediated zinc phloem transport; and reviewed the effects of cultivation practices such as basal and foliar zinc fertilization, phosphorus-zinc co-application, and rice-fish co-culture on grain zinc enrichment. The review pointed out that OsCKX4 overexpression lines achieved 58 mg/kg zinc in brown rice, while OsNAS overexpression doubled NA synthesis and significantly improved zinc allocation efficiency. It suggested that integrated cultivation techniques elevated grain zinc content to 42 mg/kg, with a yield of 12750 kg/hm², achieving a synergistic ‘high yield-high zinc’ outcome. The review proposed that future efforts should integrate multi-omics and smart agriculture technologies to promote the industrialization of zinc-enriched rice and provide solutions for global zinc nutrition improvement.

Key words: zinc-enriched rice, molecular breeding, physiological mechanism, cultivation technique, zinc transporter, biofortification, nutritional health

LYU Zhanxuan, LIU Guanming. A Review on Zinc-enriched Rice Research: A Multidimensional Exploration from Genetic Breeding to Nutritional Enhancement[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2025, 41(33): 1-5.

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