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  4. Global plant diversity as a reservoir of micronutrients for humanity
 
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Global plant diversity as a reservoir of micronutrients for humanity
File(s)
Predicting_Bvit_edible_plants_manuscript_v26_final.docx (1015.58 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Cantwell-Jones, Aoife
Ball, Jenny
Collar, David
Diazgranados, Mauricio
Douglas, Ruben
more
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
With more than two billion people suffering from malnutrition and diets homogenising globally, it is vital to identify and conserve nutrient-rich species that may contribute to improving food security and diversifying diets. Of the approximately 390,000 vascular plant species known to science, thousands have been reported to be edible, yet their nutritional content remains poorly characterised. Here we use phylogenetic information to identify plants with the greatest potential to support strategies alleviating B-vitamin deficiencies. We predict the B-vitamin profiles of >6,400 edible plants lacking nutritional data and identify 1,044 species as promising key sources of B vitamins. Several of these source species should become conservation priorities, as 63 (6%are threatened in the wild and 272 (26%) are absent from seedbanks. Moreover, many of these conservation-priority source species overlap with hotspots of malnutrition, highlighting the need for safeguarding strategies to ensure that edible plant diversity remains a reservoir of nutrition for future generations, particularly in countries needing it most. Although by no means a silver bullet to tackling malnutrition, conserving a diverse portfolio of edible plants, unravelling their nutritional potentials, and promoting their sustainable use are essential strategies to enhance global nutritional resilience.
Date Issued
2022-02-24
Date Acceptance
2022-01-18
Citation
Nature Plants, 2022, 8, pp.225-232
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/94613
URL
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-022-01100-6
DOI
https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01100-6
ISSN
2055-026X
Publisher
Nature Research
Start Page
225
End Page
232
Journal / Book Title
Nature Plants
Volume
8
Identifier
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-022-01100-6
Subjects
0607 Plant Biology
0703 Crop and Pasture Production
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2022-02-24
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