Micronutrients are important growth promoting elements not only for crops but also for human being. More than two billion of the global populations are malnourished. For developing countries like India, micronutrient malnutrition among the people of every age is very common. The impact is highly seen in poor and landless rural people who can’t afford diverse foods or supplements in their diets with needed nutrients. To alleviate this micronutrient deficiency, biofortification has come to the surface as a potent option. Biofortification of crops can increase the level of micronutrients in final food products. Pulses are the cheapest sources of proteins, vitamins and micronutrients and can be supplied to the people through daily diet. Pulses are irrefutable contender for Biofortification since it is easily available to the each and every group of people. This paper focuses on the role of micronutrients on human health and various mechanisms to get nutrient rich staple food along with main emphasis on biofortification.
A field experiment was carried out at Agriculture Farm, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India during kharif season of 2015 to compare rice cultivation in conventional transplanting (CT) and system of rice intensification (SRI) in terms of energy use, energy input output relationship and green house gas emission. Results showed that regardless of cultivars, conventional transplanting consumed 62.39% higher energy over SRI. Maximum energy input was associated with non renewable and indirect sources. Higher dose of nitrogenous fertilizer had contributed to 32.35% and 26.26% to the total input energy in CT and SRI respectively. Energy use efficiency (13.22), energy productivity (6.94 kg MJ-1), energy profitability (12.22) and energy intensity (4.60 MJ Rs-1) of hybrid rice varieties were noted higher in SRI. Maximum green house gas emission from rice field was also attributed to fertilizer nitrogen followed by diesel in both the system. Total green house gas emission in CT was estimated to 834.85 (kg CO2ha-1) i.e. 1.8 times of SRI. Engirdling different energy indices, total input energy and green house gas emission, the system of rice intensification was emerged as the most energy efficient and sustainable rice production system in resource stricken areas (Red Lateritic Zone).
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