Abstract
Biofortification aims to increase the concentration of bioavailable elements in crops, to increase their nutritional quality. Selenium is a trace element of great impact on the antioxidant metabolism of plants and its accumulation is poor in species such as Solanum lycopersicon, so adding it is part of biofortification programs. The present work analyzes the capacity of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) to increase the concentration of Selenium in tomatoes plants and fruits. For this, three treatments were applied (0, 2, and 5 mg L−1 of sodium selenite) using irrigation water as a vehicle. 40 days after transplanting, the accumulation of selenium and macronutrients in leaves, stems, and fruits was quantified, as well as their impact on tomato plant productivity. Agronomic variables such as height (cm), diameter (mm) of stems, number and weight (g) of fruits produced were determined. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and later, a Tukey mean comparison test was performed. An increase in the accumulation of Se was observed, being up to 53% in the fruits under the 5 mg L−1 treatment compared to the control. However, this increase did not have a noticeable impact on macronutrient content and tomato yield, but rather, contributed to the improvement of the nutritional quality of the tomato.
Highlights
Biofortification is a process of increasing the content of vitamins and minerals in a crop, through plant breeding, transgenic techniques, or agronomic practices [1]
The height of the stem presented 2 statistically different groups, one formed by the control T0 (0 mg L−1 ), with the value of 61.1 cm, and the other formed by the treatments T1 (2 mg L−1 ) and T2 (5 mg L−1 ), with values of 67.5 and 65.5 cm, respectively, highlighting a significant increase in height with the application of sodium selenite
This result agrees with those of Hasanuzzaman et al [35], who found that Se can improve plant growth and development, since it has vital roles in reducing negative consequences of abiotic stresses. This beneficial role of Se were studied by some authors, who reported that it improves plant tolerance to many abiotic stresses, as drought [36,37], salinity [38,39], cold [40,41], metals/metalloids [42,43], and UV-induced stress [44,45]. It must be applied at relatively low concentrations, in accordance with Chauhan et al [42], who found that low dose of Se can stimulate plant growth, improve photosynthesis and help in homeostasis of essential nutrient elements
Summary
Biofortification is a process of increasing the content of vitamins and minerals in a crop, through plant breeding, transgenic techniques, or agronomic practices [1] This process is a way to improve human health and nutrition, since vitamins and minerals deficiencies are source of many diseases, that affect more than two billion individuals in the world, corresponding of one from each three people, globally [2]. Such deficiencies occur when intake and absorption of vitamins and minerals are too low to sustain good health and development [1].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
