Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High Beta-Carotene Rice in Asia: Techniques and Implications

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Biofortification of Food Crops

  • 1850 Accesses

Abstract

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the major problems not only in Asia but also in many countries worldwide. It seriously affects the reproductive and immune systems and mostly leads to blindness in children, maternal mortality, and ultimately death. Its deficiency is widespread among the poor whose dietary source is based mostly on rice or other carbohydrate-rich food, because rice is devoid of vitamin A. So, the concept was perceived to provide the supplementary vitamin A in their staple food, rice. Initially, vitamin-A overproducing Golden Rice developed by inserting only two genes, a plant phytoene synthase (PSY) gene from daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and the carotene desaturase (CRTI) gene from the bacterium Pantoea ananatis. The vitamin A derived initially in the first phase (Golden Rice 1, GR1) was not sufficient. So, the second generation Golden Rice (GR2) was developed by overexpressing Zea mays PSY gene regulated under maize polyubiquitin promoter in place of daffodil PSY. The GR2 brought a remarkable improvement by accumulating high quantity of carotenoids (up to 37 μg/g) and β-carotene (31 μg/g), which is enough for vitamin A enrichment. Bioavailability studies showed that around 60 g of rice could be sufficient for 50–60 % daily recommended quantity of vitamin A in children which is enough to prevent death and blindness. Effort is under way for introgression of GR2 into the popular indica varieties with confined field trials in some countries. However, there are pro- and anti-lobby for this rice because it is a GM crop; hence, it has not reached the farmers and common man yet. In this chapter, an attempt was made to discuss the details of the techniques and implications of high beta-carotene in rice on Asian context.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • ACS (2012) American Cancer Society. Vitamin A, retinoids, and provitamin A carotenoids. URL: www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryand alternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/vitamin- a-and-beta-carotene. Accessed 12 June 2015

  • Akhtar S, Ahmed A, Randhawa MA, Atukorala S, Arlappa N, Ismail T, Ali Z (2013) Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in South Asia: causes, outcomes, and possible remedies. J Health Popul Nutr 31:413–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Babili S, Beyer P (2005) Golden rice – five years on the road – five years to go? Trends Plant Sci 10:565–573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alberts B, Rees M, Sharp P (2013) Standing up for GMOs. Science 341:1320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alfonso A, Somera J, Espejo E, Miranda R, Avellanoza E, Tabano D, Nazareno E (2013) Confined field test of pro-vitamin a enriched ‘golden rice’ event GR2-R introgressed lines of IR64 and PSB Rc82. Trans Natl Acad Sci Technol 35:11

    Google Scholar 

  • ASN (2009) American Society for Nutrition. Researchers determine that golden rice is an effective source of vitamin A. URL: http://ww.nutrition.org/media/publications/ajcnJune809.pdf. Accessed 10 June 2015

  • Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, de Onis M, Ezzati M, Mathers C, Rivera J (2008) Maternal and Child Undernutrition Study Group. Maternal and child undernutrition global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet 371:243–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt P, Beyer P, Wunn J, Kloti A, Armstrong G, Schledz M, von Lintig J, Potrykus I (1997) Transgenic rice (Oryza sativa) endosperm expressing daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) phytoene synthase accumulates phytoene, a key intermediate of provitamin A biosynthesis. Plant J 11:1071–1078

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cazzonelli CI, Pogson BJ (2010) Source to sink regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants. Trends Plant Sci 15:266–274. doi:10.1016/j.t plants

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Li FQ, Wurtzel ET (2010) Isolation and characterization of the Z-ISO gene encoding a missing component of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants. Plant Physiol 153:66–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Datta K, Baisakh N, Oliva N, Torrizo L, Abrigo E, Tan J, Rai M, Rehana S, Al-Babili S, Beyer P, Potrykus I, Datta SK (2003) Bioengineered ‘golden’ Indica rice cultivars with b-carotene metabolism in the endosperm with hygromycin and mannose selection systems. Plant Biotechnol J 1:81–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Del Campo JA, García-González M, Guerrero MG (2007) Outdoor cultivation of microalgae for carotenoid production current state and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 74:1163–1174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dubock A (2014) The politics of golden rice. GM Crops Foods 5(3):210–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evert A (2013) Vitamin A. URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002400.htm. Accessed 11 June 2015

  • Farré G, Bai C, Twyman RM, Capell T, Christou P, Zhu C (2011) Nutritious crops producing multiple carotenoids – a metabolic balancing act. Trends Plant Sci 16:532–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher CE, Matthews PD, Li F, Wurtzel ET (2004) Gene duplication in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway preceded evolution of the grasses (Poaceae). Plant Physiol 135:1776–1783

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giuliano G, Tavazza R, Diretto G, Beyer P, Taylor MA (2008) Metabolic engineering of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants. Trends Biotechnol 26:139–145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golden Rice Project (2012) Golden rice humanitarian board. http://www.goldenrice.org/Content2-How/how3_biosafety.php. Accessed 10 June 2015

  • Golden Rice Project (2013) Golden rice humanitarian board. URL: http://www.goldenrice.org/Content2-How/how1_sci.php. Accessed 10 June 2015

  • Golden Rice Project (2014) Golden rice humanitarian board. www.goldenrice.org/Content3-Why/why1_vad.php. Accessed 10 June 2015

  • Goodman RE, Wise J (2006) Bioinformatic analysis of proteins in golden rice 2 to assess potential allergenic cross-reactivity preliminary report. University of Nebraska, Food Allergy Research and Resource Program

    Google Scholar 

  • Grune T, Lietz G, Palou A, Ross AC, Stahl W, Tang G, David Thurnham D, Yin S, Biesalski HK (2006) β-carotene is an important vitamin A source for humans. J Nutr 140(12):2268S–2285S

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulati A, Narayanan S (2002) Rice trade liberalization and poverty. Markets and structural studies division discussion paper no 51. International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamid AA, Aiyelaagbe OO, Usman LA, Ameen OM, Lawal A (2010) Antioxidants: its medicinal and pharmacological applications. Afr J Pure Appl Chem 4(8):142–151, URL: http://www.academicjournals.org/AJPAC

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoa TTC, Al-Babili S, Schaub P, Potrykus I, Beyer P (2003) Golden indica and japonica rice lines amenable to deregulation. Plant Physiol 133:161–169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Husaini AM, Tuteja N (2013) Imperative for achieving the millennium development goals and sustainability of agriculture in the climate change era. GM Crops Food 4(1):1–9. doi:10.4161/gmcr.22748

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IFPRI (2012) Global Hunger Index. The challenge of hunger ensuring sustainable food security under land, water, and energy stresses. IFPRI, Washington, DC, p 72

    Google Scholar 

  • Independent.co.uk (2014) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/former-greenpeace-leading-light-condemns-them-for-opposing-gm-goldenrice-crop-that-could-save-two-9097170.html

  • IRRI (2014) URL: http://irri.org/golden-rice/faqs/what-is-the-status-of-the-golden-rice-project-coordinated-by-irri. Accessed 12 June 2015

  • IRRI (2015a) Multi-location field trials of golden rice. http://irri.org/blogs/golden-rice-blog/multi-location-field-trials-of-golden-rice. Accessed 27 Feb 2015

  • IRRI (2015b) World rice statistics online query facility. URL: http://ricestat.irri.org:8080/wrs2/entrypoint.htm. Accessed 06 Aug 2015

  • IRRI News (2013) http://irri.org/blogs/golden-rice-blog/golden-rice-field-trial-vandalized

  • Isaacson T, Ronen G, Zamir D, Hirschber J (2002) Cloning of tangerine from tomato reveals a carotenoid isomerase essential for the production of β-carotene and xanthophylls in plants. Plant Cell 14:333–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam Z, Heong KL, Catling D, Kritani K (2012) Invertebrates in rice production systems: status and trends. FAO Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture Background study paper, No 62, Food and Agriculture. Organization of the United Nations. Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson H, Braun CL, Ernst H (2008) The chemistry of novel xanthophyll carotenoids. Am J Cardiol 101:S50–S57 (Supplement)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson EJ (2002) The role of carotenoids in human health. Nutr Clin Care 5(2):56–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krinsky NI, Johnson EJ (2005) Carotenoid actions and their relation to health and disease. Mol Aspects Med 26(6):459–516

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li F, Vallabhaneni R, Yu J, Rocheford T, Wurtzel ET (2008a) The maize phytoene synthase gene family overlapping roles for carotenogenesis in endosperm, photomorphogenesis, and thermal stress- tolerance. Plant Physiol 147:1334–1346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li F, Vallabhaneni R, Wurtzel ET (2008b) PSY3, a new member of the phytoene synthase gene family conserved in the Poaceae and regulator of abiotic stress-induced root carotenogenesis. Plant Physiol 146(3):1333–1345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li F, Tzfadia O, Wurtzel ET (2009) The phytoene synthase gene family in the grasses sub functionalization provides tissue-specific control of carotenogenesis. Plant Signal Behav 4(3):208–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maudinas B, Bucholtz ML, Papastephanou C, Katiyar SS, Briedis AV, Porter JW (1977) The partial purification and properties of a phytoene synthesizing enzyme system. Arch Biochem Biophys 180:354–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer JE (2005) The golden rice controversy useless science or unfounded criticism? BioScience 55:726–727

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer JE (2007) Golden rice, golden crops, golden prospects. Rev Colomb Biotechnol 9:22–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Moghissi AA, Pei S, Liu Y (2015) Golden rice scientific, regulatory and public information processes of a genetically modified organism. Crit Rev Biotechnol 1–7. doi:10.3109/07388551.2014.993586

  • NAR (2010) The National Academies Report. Impact of genetically engineered crops on farm sustainability in the United States. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC. URL: www.nap.edu. Accessed 13 Apr 2015

  • Paine JA, Shipton CA, Chaggar S, Howells RM, Kennedy MJ, Vernon G, Wright SY, Hinchliffe E, Adams JL, Silverstone AL, Drake R (2005) A new version of golden rice with increased provitamin A content. Nat Biotechnol 23:482–487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palaisa KA, Morgante M, Williams M, Rafalski A (2003) Contrasting effects of selection on sequence diversity and linkage disequilibrium at two phytoene synthase loci. Plant Cell 15:1795–1806

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park H, Kreunen SS, Cuttriss AJ, DellaPenna D, Pogson B (2002) Identification of the carotenoid isomerase provides insight into carotenoid biosynthesis, prolamellar body formation, and photomorphogenesis. Plant Cell 14:321–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potrykus I (2001) Golden rice and beyond. Plant Physiol 125:1157–1161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potrykus I (2015) From the concept of totipotency to biofortified cereals. Annu Rev Plant Biol 66:2.1–2.22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PPDD (2011) Pakistan Planning and Development Division. National nutritional survey 2011. Planning Commission, Planning and Development Division, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, p 69

    Google Scholar 

  • Quijano RF (2001) Grains of delusion golden rice seen from the ground. URL: http://www.grain.org/article/entries/10-grains-of-delusion-golden-rice-seen-from-the-ground. Accessed 13 May 2015

  • Rabbani S, Beyer P, Lintig J, Hugueney P, Kleinig H (1998) Induced beta-carotene synthesis driven by triacylglycerol deposition in the unicellular alga Dunaliella bardawil. Plant Physiol 116:1239–1248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reifen R (2002) Vitamin A as an anti-inflammatory agent. Proc Nutr Soc 61(3):397–400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ribaya-Mercado JD, Solomons NW, Medrano Y (2004) Use of the deuterated-retinol-dilution technique to monitor vitamin A status of Nicaraguan schoolchildren 1 year after initiation of the Nicaraguan national program of sugar fortification with vitamin A. Am J Clin Nutr 80:1291–1298

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romer S, Fraser PD, Kiano JW, Shipton CA, Misawa N, Schuch W, Bramley PM (2000) Elevation of the provitamin A content of transgenic tomato plants. Nat Biotechnol 18:666–669

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross AC, Chen Q, Ma Y (2011) Vitamin A and retinoic acid in the regulation of B-cell development and antibody production. Vitam Horm 86:103–126. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-386960-9.00005-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sahai S (2010) Potential of agricultural genetic engineering for food security in India: research on transgenic food crops. On behalf of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GTZ), Eschborn. http://genecampaign.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/07/Potential_Of_Agricultural_Genetic_Engineering_For_Food_Security_In_India.pdf. Accessed 26 Nov 2015

  • Sarao C (2015) Does brown rice contain vitamin K? URL: http://www.livestrong.com/article/437748-about-brown-rice-vitamin-k

  • Schaub P, Al-Babili S, Drake R, Beyer P (2005) Why is golden rice golden (yellow) instead of red? Plant Physiol 138:441–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sommer A (ed) (1982) Nutritional blindness xerophthalmia and keratomalacia. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang G, Qin J, Dolnikowski GG, Russel RM, Grusak MA (2009) Golden rice is an effective source of vitamin A. Am J Clin Nutr 89:1776–1783

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang G, Hu Y, Yin S, Wang Y, Dallal GE, Grusak MA, Russell RM (2012) β-carotene in golden rice is as good as β-carotene in oil at providing vitamin A to children. Am J Clin Nutr 96:658–664

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • The Daily Star (2012) Vitamin-A rich rice get node. URL: http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=221236

  • The Daily Star (2015) Bangladeshi scientists ready for trial of world’s first ‘Golden rice’. http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/worlds-first-goldenrice-ready-trial-153676

  • Tian L, DellaPenna D (2004) Progress in understanding the origin and functions of carotenoid hydroxylases in plants. Arch Biochem Biophys 430:22–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood BA, Arthur P (1996) The contribution of vitamin A to public health. FASEB J 10:1040–1048

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vishnevetsky M, Ovadis M, Vainstein A (1999) Carotenoid sequestration in plants the role of carotenoid-associated proteins. Trends Plant Sci 4:232–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welsch R, Arango J, Bär C, Salazar B, Al-Babili S, Beltrán J, Chavarriaga P, Ceballos H, Tohme J, Beyer P (2010) Provitamin A accumulation in cassava (Manihot esculenta) roots driven by a single nucleotide polymorphism in a phytoene synthase gene. Plant Cell 22:3348–3356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • West KP Jr, Pokhrel RP, Katz J (1991) Efficacy of vitamin A in reducing preschool child mortality in Nepal. Lancet 338:67–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (ed) (1997) World Health Organization, Vitamin A supplements a guide to their use in the treatment of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia. WHO/UNICEF/IVACG Task Force, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2009) World Health Organization. Global prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in populations at risk 1995–2005: WHO global database on vitamin A deficiency. World Health Organization, Geneva. p 55

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2013) World Health Organization. Micro nutrient deficiencies vitamin A deficiency. URL: http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en

  • Ye X, Al-Babili S, Klöti A, Zhang J, Lucca P, Beyer P, Potrykus I (2000) Engineering the provitamin A (beta-carotene) biosynthetic pathway into (carotenoid-free) rice endosperm. Science 287:303–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu Q, Ghisla S, Hirschberg J, Mann V, Beyer P (2011) Plant carotene cis-trans isomerase CRTISO A new member of the FADred-dependent flavoproteins catalyzing non-redox reactions. J Biol Chem 286:8666–8676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 006, India

      S. K. Dash, K. Chattopadhyay, L. Behera, S. K. Pradhan, K. A. Molla & S. D. Mohapatra

    2. Department of Botany, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha, 753 003, India

      K. K. Sahoo

    Authors
    1. S. K. Dash
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    2. K. K. Sahoo
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    3. K. Chattopadhyay
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    4. L. Behera
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    5. S. K. Pradhan
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    6. K. A. Molla
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    7. S. D. Mohapatra
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to S. K. Dash .

    Editor information

    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Division of Crop Production, Indian Institute of Pulses Research, kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

      Ummed Singh

    2. Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India

      C S Praharaj

    3. Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

      S S Singh

    4. ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

      N P Singh

    Rights and permissions

    Reprints and permissions

    Copyright information

    © 2016 Springer India

    About this chapter

    Cite this chapter

    Dash, S.K. et al. (2016). High Beta-Carotene Rice in Asia: Techniques and Implications. In: Singh, U., Praharaj, C., Singh, S., Singh, N. (eds) Biofortification of Food Crops. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2716-8_26

    Download citation

    Publish with us

    Policies and ethics

    Search

    Navigation