Abstract
Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a global nutritional problem that is reduced through agronomic biofortification. In the current study, the effects of foliar spraying of exogenous ZnSO4·7H2O (0.2% in Quzhou and 0.3% in Licheng, w/v) and/or sucrose (10.0%, w/v) on maize (Zea mays L.) agronomic traits; concentrations of Zn, iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), total phosphorus (P), phytic acid (PA) P, carbon (C), and nitrogen (N); C/N ratios; and Zn and Fe bioavailability (as evaluated by molar ratios of PA/Zn, PA × Ca/Zn, PA/Fe and PA × Ca/Fe) in maize grains were studied under field conditions for two years at two experimental locations. The results confirmed that there were no significant differences in maize agronomic traits following the various foliar treatments. Compared with the control treatment of foliar spraying with deionized water, foliar applications of Zn alone or combined with sucrose significantly increased maize grain Zn concentrations by 29.2–58.3% in Quzhou (from 18.4–19.9 to 25.2–29.6 mg/kg) and by 39.8–47.8% in Licheng (from 24.9 to 34.8–36.8 mg/kg), as well as its bioavailability. No significant differences were found between the foliar spraying of deionized water and sucrose, and between Zn-only and “sucrose + Zn” at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental sites. Similar results were observed for maize grain Fe concentrations and bioavailability, but the Fe concentration increased to a smaller extent than Zn. Foliar Zn spraying alone or with sucrose increased maize grain Fe concentrations by 4.7–28.4% in Quzhou (from 13.4–17.1 to 15.2–18.5 mg/kg) and by 15.4–25.0% in Licheng (from 24.0 to 27.7–30.0 mg/kg). Iron concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with Zn at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental locations, indicating that foliar Zn spraying facilitated the transport of endogenous Fe to maize grains. Therefore, foliar Zn spraying increased the Zn concentration and bioavailability in maize grains irrespective of foliar sucrose supply while also improving Fe concentrations and bioavailability to some extent. This is a promising agricultural practice for simultaneous Zn and Fe biofortification in maize grains, i.e., “killing two birds with one stone”.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar treatments produced no significant differences in agronomic traits.
- Treatment
- various foliar treatmentse0
- Outcome
- maize agronomic traitse0
- Direction
- no significant differencese0
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no significant differences in maize agronomic traits following the various foliar treatments”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc foliar applications increased grain zinc concentration by 29.2–58.3% in Quzhou.
- Treatment
- foliar applications of Zn alone or combined with sucrosee0
- Outcome
- maize grain Zn concentrationse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 29.2–58.3%e0
- Setting
- Quzhoue0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“foliar applications of Zn alone or combined with sucrose significantly increased maize grain Zn concentrations by 29.2–58.3% in Quzhou”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc foliar applications increased grain zinc concentration by 39.8–47.8% in Licheng.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“by 39.8–47.8% in Licheng (from 24.9 to 34.8–36.8 mg/kg)”
t0“Foliar Zn Spraying Simultaneously Improved Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fe in Maize Grains”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar zinc improved grain zinc bioavailability.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“as well as its bioavailability”
t0“Foliar Zn Spraying Simultaneously Improved Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fe in Maize Grains”
Claim · model-written summary
Sucrose alone did not differ significantly from water spraying.
- Treatment
- sucrosee0
- Outcome
- significant differencese0
- Direction
- No significant differencese0
- Comparator
- deionized watere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“No significant differences were found between the foliar spraying of deionized water and sucrose”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc alone did not differ significantly from zinc plus sucrose.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“between Zn-only and “sucrose + Zn” at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental sites”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar zinc increased grain iron concentration by 4.7–28.4% in Quzhou.
- Treatment
- Foliar Zn spraying alone or with sucrosee0
- Outcome
- maize grain Fe concentrationse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 4.7–28.4%e0
- Setting
- Quzhoue0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar Zn spraying alone or with sucrose increased maize grain Fe concentrations by 4.7–28.4% in Quzhou”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar zinc increased grain iron concentration by 15.4–25.0% in Licheng.
- Treatment
- Foliar Zn Sprayingt0
- Outcome
- Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fet0
- Direction
- Improvedt0
- Value
- 15.4–25.0%e0
- Setting
- Lichenge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“by 15.4–25.0% in Licheng (from 24.0 to 27.7–30.0 mg/kg)”
t0“Foliar Zn Spraying Simultaneously Improved Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fe in Maize Grains”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar zinc improved iron bioavailability.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Similar results were observed for maize grain Fe concentrations and bioavailability”
t0“Foliar Zn Spraying Simultaneously Improved Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fe in Maize Grains”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain iron and zinc concentrations were significantly positively correlated.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Iron concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with Zn at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental locations”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors identify foliar zinc spraying as a promising simultaneous zinc and iron biofortification practice.
- Outcome
- simultaneous Zn and Fe biofortificatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This is a promising agricultural practice for simultaneous Zn and Fe biofortification in maize grains”
t0“Foliar Zn Spraying Simultaneously Improved Concentrations and Bioavailability of Zn and Fe in Maize Grains”
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See all 161 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.