Abstract
Garlic has a strong ability of selenium (Se) accumulation and is one of the best target crops for Se biofortification. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation might enhance the nutritional qualities and the absorption ability of exogenous Se in plants. However, little is known about the exogenous Se application and AMF inoculation on garlic. Here, we evaluated the effects of different concentrations of exogenous Se on the growth, nutritional quality, and selenium enrichment of garlic. The results demonstrated that significantly higher Se content of garlic bulb was found in exogenous Se treated plants, and the Se accumulation was improved with the increasing of Se supply. Low application of exogenous Se appreciably improved the yield and the contents of soluble sugar and allicin in garlic bulbs, but the opposite was observed at high Se concentration. Furthermore, AMF inoculation significantly reduced the inhibition effect of high concentration Se on garlic. AMF supply was effective in improving the growth and nutritional indicators of garlic, which promoted the exogenous Se utilization rate when combined with 10 mg/L exogenous Se treatment. The results will provide a more theoretical basis for the production of high-quality selenium enrichment garlic.
Highlights
Selenium (Se) is a rare element, one of the trace elements necessary for human and animal health, such as improving immune response-ability, preventing cancer and some other diseases, and an essential part of the antioxidant defense system
The results showed that Se spraying significantly affected the growth of garlic
The Se content effect of exogenous Se on the selenium enrichment was consistent in the two cultivars. These results indicated that exogenous Se supply could improve the Se content in garlic bulbs and spraying a high concentration of exogenous Se has a stronger effect on selenium enrichment in garlic bulbs than that of low concentration
Summary
Selenium (Se) is a rare element, one of the trace elements necessary for human and animal health, such as improving immune response-ability, preventing cancer and some other diseases, and an essential part of the antioxidant defense system. It has the functions of changing plant tissue active oxygen defense enzyme activity, regulating plant growth and metabolism, antagonizing heavy metals and regulating reproductive growth [1,2]. It is imperative to develop and cultivate Se-rich foods to satisfy the dietary needs of our humans
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