Boron biofortification through seed coating: a way to alleviate malnutrition and to improve grain yield of bread wheat

Three experiments were conducted to optimize boron (B) delivery through seed coating for improving wheat yield and biofortification to fight against the malnutrition in the most consumable crop. First experiment was conducted in Petri plates kept in laboratory at room temperature. Seed were coated with 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75 and 2.00 g B kg-1 seed by boric acid (H3BO3) and borax (Na2B4O7) as source of B. Results of this experiment revealed that least mean germination time (MGT) was recorded in seed coated with 0.05 g B kg-1 using borax as source of B (2.06 days) than control (2.34 days) followed by 0.25 g B kg-1 seed using same source and 0.25, 0.50 g B kg-1 seed using boric acid. Higher final germination percentage (FGP) was also recorded in 0.25, 0.50 g B kg-1 seed by using boric acid (100% and 98.8% respectively) and 0.25, 0.50 g B kg-1 seed by using borax (100% and 100% respectively). Moreover, higher shoot length (10.68 cm) was recorded in seed coated with 0.25 g B kg-1 seed using boric acid, while higher root length and seedling dry weight (13.49 cm and 17.88 mg respectively) was recorded in seed coated with 0.25 g B kg-1 seed using borax. Optimized seed coating treatments 0.25 ad 0.50 g B (as boric acid and borax) kg-1 seed were further evaluated against uncoated control seed in 2nd experiment which was conducted in sand filled small cups kept in laboratory at room temperature. Seed coated by 0.25 and 0.50 g B (as borax) kg-1 seed resulted in higher seedling growth i.e., root length, shoot length and seedling dry weight, than control. In 3rd experiment seed were coated with 0.25 and 0.50 g B (as borax) kg-1 seed. This experiment was conducted in soil filled clay pots kept in glass house in room temperature. Results of this experiment showed that treatments did not influence seedling emergence; nonetheless, seed coating using 0.25 g B kg-1 seed enhanced grain yield (13.75 g per pot) and grain B concentration (1.76 µg g -1 ). In conclusion, wheat seed may be coated with 0.25 g B (as borax) kg-1 seed to mend seedling growth, grain yield and grain B concentration of wheat. Increased B concentration wheat grain may play a significant role to eliminate malnutrition in humans if adapted in the wheat cultivation.