What is Biofortification ? Explain selective breeding with suitable example .

Explanation

1. Biofortlflcation :
(1) Biofortification is a method of crop breeding to increase the nutritional value of crops.
(2) There are two methods of crop breeding for biofortification. These are selective breeding and genetic modification.
(3) Selective breeding :
(i) Selective breeding involves the search of seed or germplasm banks for existing varieties of crops that are rich in nutrients.
(ii) These high nutrient varieties are then crossbred with high yielding varieties of crops to obtain seeds with increased nutritional value and high yields.
(iii) The selective method of breeding is more prevalent these days as it is cheaper, quicker and less controversial than those crops that are genetically engineered.
(4) The vitamin A is of great help in overcoming the disorders caused due to its deficiency. Likewise Atlas-66 a variety of wheat with high protein content has been used as donor to cultivated varieties of wheat for their improvement.
(5) Protein enriched beans and garden peas, vitamin A enriched carrots, spinach and pumpkin and vitamin C enriched bitter gourd, tomato, bathua and mustard have also been developed at IARI, New Delhi.