ABSTRACT
Food security is a major issue as we aspire toward sustainable development. In spite of continuous increases in agricultural production due to the introduction of improved crop cultivars and the wide use of affordable technologies, more than 800 million people still do not have access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs [1]. Cereal crops are basic source of food for humankind, with 85% of total crop production represented by maize, wheat, and rice. These three crops provide more than half of the protein and energy required for daily life. However, increase of world agricultural production in 2006 was less than 1%, which was due to decrease in cereal production [2]. On the other hand, the world’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 [3]. It is therefore necessary to provide food security to this growing population in the midst of global environmental problems that deprive us of much arable land and biodiversity.
