Foods | |
Assessing Suitability of Sorghum to Alleviate Sub-Saharan Nutritional Deficiencies through the Nutritional Water Productivity Index in Semi-Arid Regions | |
AlbertT. Modi1  Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi1  SandileT. Hadebe2  | |
[1] Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa;Department of Plant Production, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Limpopo, Private Bag Box X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa; | |
关键词: nutritional security; food security; water scarcity; | |
DOI : 10.3390/foods10020385 | |
来源: DOAJ |
【 摘 要 】
Lack of cereal nutritional water productivity (NWP) information disadvantages linkages of nutrition to water–food nexus as staple food crops in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study determined the suitability of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) genotypes to alleviate protein, Zn and Fe deficiency under water-scarce dryland conditions through evaluation of NWP. Sorghum genotypes (Macia, Ujiba, PAN8816, IsiZulu) NWP was quantified from three planting seasons for various sorghum seed nutrients under dryland semi-arid conditions. Seasons by genotypes interaction highly and significantly affected NWPStarch, Ca, Cu, Fe, and significantly affected NWPMg, K, Na, P, Zn. Genotypic variations highly and significantly affected sorghum NWPProtein, Mn. Macia exhibited statistically superior NWPprotein (13.2–14.6 kg·m−3) and NWPZn (2.0–2.6 g·m−3) compared to other tested genotypes, while Macia NWPFe (2.6–2.7 g·m−3) was considerably inferior to that of Ujiba and IsiZulu landraces under increased water scarcity. Excellent overall NWPprotein, Fe and Zn under water scarcity make Macia a well-rounded genotype suitable to alleviating food and nutritional insecurity challenges in semi-arid SSA; however, landraces are viable alternatives with limited NWPprotein and Zn penalty under water-limited conditions. These results underline genotype selection as a vital tool in improving “nutrition per drop” in semi-arid regions.
【 授权许可】
Unknown