Elevating optimal human nutrition to a central goal of plant breeding and production of plant-based foods

ELEVATING OPTIMAL HUMAN NUTRITION TO A CENTRAL GOAL OF PLANT BREEDING AND PRODUCTION OF PLANT-BASED FOODS CONTENTS * Abstract * Citation * Links ABSTRACT High-yielding cereals and other

staples have produced adequate calories to ward off starvation for much of the world over several decades. However, deficiencies in certain amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids in

staple crops, and animal diets derived from them, have aggravated the problem of malnutrition and the increasing incidence of certain chronic diseases in nominally well-nourished people

(the so-called diseases of civilization). Enhanced global nutrition has great potential to reduce acute and chronic disease, the need for health care, the cost of health care, and to

increase educational attainment, economic productivity and the quality of life. However, nutrition is currently not an important driver of most plant breeding efforts, and there are only a

few well-known efforts to breed crops that are adapted to the needs of optimal human nutrition. Technological tools are available to greatly enhance the nutritional value of our staple

crops. However, enhanced nutrition in major crops might only be achieved if nutritional traits are introduced in tandem with important agronomic yield drivers, such as resistance to emerging

pests or diseases, to drought and salinity, to herbicides, parasitic plants, frost or heat. In this way we might circumvent a natural tendency for high yield and low production cost to

effectively select against the best human nutrition. Here we discuss the need and means for agriculture, food processing, food transport, sociology, nutrition and medicine to be integrated

into new approaches to food production with optimal human nutrition as a principle goal. CITATION Plant Science (2009) 177 (5) 377-389 [doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2009.07.011] LINKS Elevating

optimal human nutrition to a central goal of plant breeding and production of plant-based foods UPDATES TO THIS PAGE Published 1 January 2009 Contents