Introduction

Plants as Mineral Sources
 

Brassica as a Mineral Source

Micronutrient Content of Selected Plants

Brassica as a mineral source

In order for a plant to be a practical source of mineral supplements, it must be a recognized, edible species and capable of accumulating large amounts of minerals in its edible parts. Within the past few years, large scale laboratory screening studies at InB:Biotechnologies, Inc. have identified select cultivars of Brassica juncea (Indian mustard), an edible crucifer crop species, that accumulate minerals in their stems and leaves at concentrations exceeding 2% of their dry weight (Orser et al 1998, Elles, et al 2000). These screening and selection efforts have been expanded to include the uptake of most nutritionally important minerals and the development of specific hydroponic cultivation conditions that result in consistent and reliable mineral accumulation in the edible portions of the plants. The leaves and stems of select B. juncea cultivars contain from 0.2 to 7.0% of their dry weight in nutrient minerals such as iron, manganese, chromium, selenium and zinc, making these plants a good source of concentrated mineral supplements (Table 1.)

Hydroponic Cultivation for Mineral Accumulation in Plants

Plants are cultivated hydroponically   Minerals in the water are taken up by the roots.   Minerals are transported to the leaves through the shoots, water evaporates from the leaves and minerals are concentrated in the plants

Conventional technology for production of trace mineral supplements involves the use of select algae or synthetic methods of concentrated mineral production or mining. InB:Biotechnologies's hyperaccumulation technology allows the production of botanical, natural sources of mineral nutritional supplements in plants belonging to the crucifer family. This family of plants, which includes broccoli, also contain potent antioxidants that have been linked to improved immune function and are widely available as nutritional supplements.