Harnessing plant biotechnology for better human nutrition and health

Generation of crop plants resistant to insect and virus attack, micro-propagation of cash crops such as sugarcane and banana and conservation of medicinally important plants have been some of the most important applications of plant biotechnology during last one decade. Escalating rates in non-communicable disease and malnutrition are posing serious threats to human health in recent years. By 2020, the non-communicable diseases are expected to account for 73% of deaths and 60% of disease burden on human societies. Plant biotechnology is getting geared to offer solutions to these challenging problems. Attempts are being made to increase the contents of several types of antioxidants such as lycopene, α-carotene and vitamin E in crop plants and vegetables. Breeding crops with enhanced levels of Fe and Zn is another effort to provide better nutrition. Omega-3 fatty acids have received a prominent attention in view of their crucial role in brain function and cardiovascular disorders. Flax is boon to plant blotechnologist to exploit its potentials to tackle omega-3 deficiency in human diet. This review summarizes all these developments with examples giving confidence that plant biotechnology will offer better human nutrition for better human health in the near future.