Climate Change Threatens Micronutrient Density of European Winter Wheat.

Micronutrients are vital for human health. Wheat is a major staple crop and a significant source of minerals and B-vitamins. The impact of multifactorial climate change on their content remains largely unknown, introducing uncertainty to human nutrition and well-being. Here, we used an Ecotron to evaluate micronutrient levels in European winter wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Asory) under historical and projected climate conditions, incorporating gradients of atmospheric CO2, temperature, precipitation, and light intensity representative of ongoing climate change in Western Europe. Our findings indicate that future climates will strongly diminish multiple minerals and B-vitamins in grains, thereby posing a significant challenge for global public health.