Selected adjuvants increase the efficacy of foliar biofortification of iodine in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain

Agronomic biofortification of crops is a promising approach that can improve the nutritional value staple foods by alleviating dietary micronutrient deficiencies. Iodine deficiency prevalent in many countries, including Australia, but it not clear what foliar application strategies will be effective for iodine fortification grain. This study hypothesised combining adjuvants with sprays would penetration wheat, leading to more efficient grains. The glasshouse experiment included total nine treatments, three reference controls: 1) Water; 2) potassium iodate (KIO 3 ) and 3) chloride (KCl); series six different non-ionic surfactant or oil-based adjuvants: 4) KIO + BS1000; 5) Pulse ® Penetrant; 6) Uptake ; 7) Hot-Up 8) Hasten 9) Synerterol Horti Oil. Wheat was treated at heading, again during early milk growth stage. Adding organosilicon-based adjuvant (Pulse spray formulation resulted significant increase grain loading 1269 µg/kg compared non-adjuvant control 231µg/kg, water KCl controls (both 51µg/kg). second most Oil, which increased significantly 450µg/kg. , BS1000, did affect concentrations relative control. Importantly, subsequent had no effects on biomass production yield controls. These results indicate play an important role agronomic practices, products have great potential enhance resulting higher translocation rate foliar-applied grains, required density grains effectively.