Importance of common bean genetic zinc biofortification in alleviating human zinc deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Zinc deficiency is among the leading risks to human health in sub-Saharan Africa, its adverse exposure leads to diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria. Furthermore, it is the leading cause of stunting in children and negatively influences the human immune system, body iron, and vitamin A and D. High zinc deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa is due to the consumption of staple foods with low zinc contents. Genetic zinc biofortification of common bean among staple food crops is the best approach for alleviating zinc deficiency, as it is cost-effective and can easily reach low-income households. Genetic zinc biofortification by conventional breeding coupled with marker-assisted selection is the best strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, as the selection of crosses is precise and takes short time to develop high zinc-containing varieties. Zinc content increase in common bean seeds has a high impact on alleviating zinc deficiency as it is consumed whole compared to cereal grains which undergo milling, the process that removes zinc-rich parts before being consumed. This review explains the current status of zinc deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa, conventional methods for alleviating the problem, current and potential of modern genetic approaches for zinc biofortification of common bean in alleviating zinc deficiency in the region.