Emerging Research on Food Security: Simulating the transport of zinc on different soils to enhance understanding of zinc uptake by crops

• Grant number: 24/15573-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Jarbas Honorio de Miranda
• Grantee: Jarbas Honorio de Miranda
• Host Investigator: Prasanta Kalita
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States

Abstract

Zinc is vital for the growth and development of crops. It plays a crucial role in several physiological processes, including enzyme function, protein synthesis, and growth regulation. Zinc is involved in chlorophyll production and carbohydrate formation, which are essential for photosynthesis and energy production in plants. Adequate zinc levels help crops resist diseases and environmental stressors, such as drought and extreme temperatures. Zinc fertilization has been shown to improve crop yield and quality, making it a critical component in agricultural practices. For humans, zinc is essential for maintaining a robust immune system. It supports the production and function of immune cells, reducing the risk and severity of infections. About HYDRUS 2D is a powerful numerical simulation software used for modeling water, heat, and solute movement in two-dimensional (2D) variably saturated media. HYDRUS 2D can simulate a wide range of processes including water flow, solute transport, root water uptake, and heat movement. This makes it an essential tool for understanding complex subsurface hydrological processes. Breakthrough Curves (BTC) are graphical representations of the concentration of a solute as a function of time at a specific location in a column or field experiment. BTCs are fundamental in characterizing solute transport in porous media, providing insights into the movement and dispersion of solutes. BTCs are used to estimate transport parameters such as dispersion coefficients, retardation factors, and first-order decay constants. These parameters are crucial for predicting solute behavior in soil and groundwater. So the proposal's main objective is to conduct laboratory investigation and collaborate with field experiments ("Investigating the Effect of Conservation Practices on Zinc Uptake and Water Quality from Maize Crops") obtaining BTC´s for zinc in a soil column and utilize the HYDRUS 2D model with the fitted parameters to simulate zinc transport and validate the model by comparing the simulated data with some observed data (lab and field conditions). The combination of HYDRUS 2D and BTC provides a comprehensive understanding of solute transport processes in soils, aiding in the development of effective soil and groundwater management strategies. The results will help understanding and enhance zinc uptakes by field crops and increase global food and nutritional security.