Overview

• In trials of eight Australian bread wheat varieties, R. irregularis inoculation increased grain zinc and iron concentrations while also boosting yield
• Fungus-driven phosphorus uptake did not raise grain phytic acid, removing a common barrier to mineral absorption
• Tests under varying soil phosphorus conditions showed fungus-treated plants maintained yield targets while enhancing nutritional quality
• Experiments revealed that fungal inoculation left phytate levels unchanged under low phosphorus and reduced them when fertilizer inputs were high
• Researchers propose this scalable, eco-friendly biofortification strategy as a way to address global zinc and iron deficiencies