Perspectives Volume 40, Number 1 | Page 24

HQ UPDATE Seed Core Technology Combats Zinc Deficiency In many developing nations, the food grown and consumed comes from nutrient-deficient soils. If fertilizer nutrients are added to the soil, they are mostly primary nutrients (N, P and K), as fertilizers containing SMNs are often not accessible or affordable. Over the years, agricultural practices have resulted in nutrient withdrawals exceeding nutrient inputs and nutrient “stocks” indigenous to the soil. For example, zinc, a micronutrient necessary for human health, is one of several micronutrients often deficient in the world’s soils. It is estimated that out of the more than 7 billion people in the world, 2 billion women and children suff