Iodine Biofortification Counters Micronutrient Deficiency and Improve Functional Quality of Open Field Grown Curly Endive.

Human iodine (I) shortage disorders are documented as an imperative world-wide health issue for a great number of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends I consumption through ingestion of seafood and biofortified food such as vegetables. The current work was carried out to appraise the effects of different I concentrations (0, 50, 250, and 500 mg L^-1. Plants sprayed with 250 mg I L^-1 and cultivated in the fall season had the highest I leaf concentration. Overall, our results evidently suggested that an I application of 250 mg L^-1 in both growing seasons effectively enhanced plant quality and functional parameters in curly endive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]