Abstract
The agrotechnical methods of biofortification of plants, i.e., enriching them in iodine (I) and selenium (Se) could be effective methods to enrich food products in these elements. The advantage of agrotechnical methods of biofortification is the incorporation of elements in organic compounds in plants; therefore, they have better health-promoting properties than pure technical salts. Two-year studies were conducted in a greenhouse with hydroponic cultivation of three botanical varieties of lettuce in an NFT (nutrient film technique) system: two cultivars butterhead lettuces (abb. BUTL) ‘Cud Voorburgu’ and ‘Zimująca,’ two cultivars iceberg lettuces (abb. ICEL) ‘Maugli’ and ‘Królowa lata’ (all this four cultivars are classified as Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) as well two cultivars Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa L. cultivars (abb. REDL) ‘Lollo rossa’ and ‘Redin’ having little red leaves. The study included the application of I (as KIO3), Se (as Na2SeO3), and SA into the nutrient solution. The tested treatments were as follows: (1) control, (2) I+Se, (3) I+Se+0.1 mg SA dm−3, (4) I+Se+1.0 mg SA dm−3, and (5) I+Se+10.0 mg SA dm−3. KIO3 was used at a dose of 5 mg I dm−3, while Na2SeO3 was 0.5 mg Se dm−3. Regardless of the kind of the applied compound, the highest biomass of heads was produced by the REDL ‘Redin’ variety. Furthermore, this variety, as the only one in six varieties tested, reacted with the decrease in yield to the application of I+Se and I+Se+three concentrations of SA. In the heads of all cultivars, the level of I accumulation was 10–30 times higher than of Se. The level of I accumulation formed the following order: REDL ‘Lollo rossa’ > REDL ‘Redin’ = BUTL ‘Cud Voorburgu’ > BUTL ‘Zimująca’ > ICEL ‘Maugli’ > ICEL ‘Królowa lata’. The order of Se content in leaves was as follows: REDL ‘Redin’ = BUTL ‘Cud Voorburgu’ > REDL ‘Lollo rossa’ > ICEL ‘Maugli’ > BUTL ‘Zimująca’ > ICEL ‘Królowa lata’. The obtained results indicate that the introduction of SA to the nutrient solutions in hydroponic systems may allow an improve the effectiveness of – biofortification.
Highlights
Because of a widespread deficit of various mineral components in the human diet and in animal fodders, the studies on biofortification cultivated plants in various elements are undertaken everywhere (García-Bañuelos et al, 2014; Krzepiłko et al, 2016; Przybysz et al, 2016a,b; Zuk-Gołaszewska et al, 2016; Hegedüsová et al, 2017)
The obtained results indicate that four out of six varieties failed to show the negative reaction, in terms of the amount of biomass, to the enriching in I and Se, and to the additional application of salicylic acid (SA) to the nutrient solution. It confirms that the used doses of I, Se, and SA were safe for the following varieties: BUTL ‘Cud Voorburgu’ and ‘Zimujaca,’ ICEL ‘Królowa lata,’ and REDL ‘Lollo rossa.’
Exogenous SA added to the nutrient solution can be considered to be a biostimulating compound improving the efficiency of the uptake of Se by plants of six tested varieties of lettuce
Summary
Because of a widespread deficit of various mineral components in the human diet and in animal fodders, the studies on biofortification (enriching) cultivated plants in various elements are undertaken everywhere (García-Bañuelos et al, 2014; Krzepiłko et al, 2016; Przybysz et al, 2016a,b; Zuk-Gołaszewska et al, 2016; Hegedüsová et al, 2017). The agrotechnical method of biofortifying plants with mineral components are regarded as one of the cheapest ways leading to the reduction of their deficits in the human diet and in animal fodders (Zhao and McGrath, 2009; Dayod et al, 2010; Korobova, 2010). The issues pertaining to the interaction between I and Se during simultaneous fertilizing with these elements are not sufficiently known Both these elements are not essential for the proper functions of plant bodies. Se and I are, classified in the group of “beneficial elements” for plants (Kopsell and Kopsell, 2007; Medrano-Macías et al, 2016; Gonzali et al, 2017)
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