Shazia Arif

Comparisons of Few Important Bio-chemicals from Sea Buckthorn: Bio-chemicals from Sea Buckthorn Expressed at Three Stages of Fruit Development and ... and Folate Genes for Biofortification Shazia Arif

The tremendous nutritional and medicinal value of sea buckthorn berries seed and leaves is not well documented. There is need to explore the hidden potential of this versatile medicinal plant for biofortification of commercial crops utilizing modern approach of molecular biology. There is likely to be a much wider range of nutritionally beneficial phytochemicals awaiting discovery. This plant can provide most of the nutrients required in the human diet; as major staple crops are often deficient in some of these nutrients. Several advances have been made in the application of molecular biology to produce nutritional enhancement in plants. Micronutrient deficiency is preventing an estimated one third of the world population from reaching their physical and intellectual potentials. Genetic modification techniques have enabled us to develop crop varieties with increased amounts of essential vitamins, minerals and improved profiles of nutraceutical compound. Much of the research into vitamins an minerals have been focused on generating new varieties of staple crops to improve the diet of population in developing nations.