Wenzhong Huang

Hainan Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572000, China
Author    Correspondence author
GMO Biosafety Research, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 5   
Received: 26 Jul., 2024    Accepted: 06 Sep., 2024    Published: 20 Sep., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This study systematically reviews the strategies and research progress in maize biofortification, with a focus on enhancing quality protein (QPM), provitamin A (β-carotene), and micronutrients such as iron and zinc. It outlines the achievements of conventional hybrid breeding, marker-assisted selection (MAS), genetic engineering, and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in improving nutritional traits. Research shows that the promotion of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) and “Golden Maize” in regions such as Latin America and Africa has significantly improved the nutritional health of target populations and yielded positive socioeconomic benefits. However, the widespread application of maize biofortification still faces challenges, including technical bottlenecks, limited public acceptance, and insufficient international cooperation. To address these issues, it is essential to integrate gene editing technologies with precision agriculture, develop smart breeding models for multi-nutrient enhancement, and strengthen policy support and public engagement. This study provides important theoretical foundations and practical guidance for maize nutritional improvement and tackling global public health challenges.

Maize; Biofortification; Micronutrients; Quality Protein Maize; Gene Editing