Zinc isotope constraints on zinc vvailability in soil-crop system

Zinc (Zn) deficiency due to insufficient Zn intake affects 1/3 of world’s population. By 2050 additional 138 million people is estimated to suffer from Zn deficiency due to the reduction of global availability of Zn. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find sustainable ways to combat Zn deficiency in humans which is strongly correlated to dietary Zn intake from crops grown on Zn deficient soils. The project uses a multidisciplinary approach combining stable isotope geochemistry, plant physiology, soil science and ecology to identify low-resource strategies for mitigation of Zn deficiency in soil-crop system.