Plant species and growing season weather influence the efficiency of selenium biofortification

Abstract

Se deficiency is widespread in agricultural soils; hence, agronomic Se biofortification is an important strategy to overcome its deficiency in humans and animals. In Finland, fertilizers have been amended with inorganic Se for over 20 years to reverse the negative effects of low Se content in feed and food. Plant species, climatic conditions, other nutrients and soil properties affect the efficiency of Se biofortification. The present two years' study compared the ability of oilseed rape, wheat and forage grasses to uptake fertilizer Se applied as sodium selenate in a sub-boreal environment. The effect of foliar N application on Se uptake was tested in the second year. Se concentration was determined in plant parts and in soil samples taken at the end of growth season in both years as well as from another plot where Se fertilizer had been used for 20 years. Se fertilizer recovery in harvested wheat and oilseed rape was 1-16%, and in forage grasses was 52-64% in the first harvest and 15-19% in the second harvest. Foliar N application improved Se uptake only at the higher Se fertilizer level. The efficiency of biofortification depended on weather conditions, with forage grasses being the most reliable crop. Oilseed rape as a Se semiaccumulator had no advantage in Se biofortification in field conditions due to low translocation to seeds.

Exogenous Selenium and Biochar Application Modulate the Growth and Selenium Uptake of Medicinal Legume Astragalus Species

“…Plant species differ in their ability to take up and assimilate Se [ 10 ]. Differences in root morphology and biochemical or physiological pathways are associated with different uptake rates.…”

“…Volatilization is an important mechanism of Se loss. Plant species, soil characteristics, and weather conditions all affect the rate of volatilization [ 10 ]. The correlation analysis between Se and growth indexes and active components in ABH also well proves this point.…”

“…Therefore, Se-rich food and related healthcare products have gradually attracted wide attention. As selenium (Se) deficiency remains ubiquitous in agricultural soil, implementing agronomic Se biofortification represents a pivotal strategy to alleviate associated risks of malnutrition and related diseases in both human and animal populations [ 10 ]. Studies showed that applying exogenous Se, such as Se fertilizer in the soil or on the leaves, could effectively improve the Se content in the plants [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Fate of selenium in biofortification of wheat on calcareous soil: an isotopic study

“…Finland adopted crop biofortification in the 1980s with Se-enriched fertilisers and successfully enhanced Se concentration in the Finnish food supply (Broadley et al 2006 ; Alfthan et al 2015 ). The efficiency of Se biofortification is likely to vary with climatic conditions, agricultural practices, and soil type (Ebrahimi et al 2019 ). Therefore, experience gained in other countries may not be applicable to the study area of this project.…”

Multiple geochemical factors may cause iodine and selenium deficiency in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

“…Selenium is not considered essential for higher plants, but it is taken up by plants via sulphate (selenate) and phosphate (selenite) transporters (Alexander, 2015;Gupta & Gupta, 2017;Malagoli et al, 2015;Riaz et al, 2018;White, 2016). Plants differ in their ability to accumulate Se (Alexander, 2015;Broadley et al, 2006;Barillas et al, 2011;Ebrahimi et al 2019;Woch & Hawrylak-Nowak, 2019;Yang et al 2017). For example, Brassica species (rapeseed, broccoli, cabbage), allium spices (onion and garlic) and Brazil nuts accumulate higher concentration of Se compared to grasses and grains (wheat, oats, rye and barley) (Alexander, 2015;Yang et al, 2017).…”