Abstract
Selenium (Se) uptake by plants depends on its form and salicylic acid (SA) can increase the efficiency of plant biofortification in Se. This study investigated the effects of selenite (Na2SeO3) and selenomethionine (SeMet) applied individually or together with SA on a total content of Se, Se speciation forms, yield and content of sugars and ascorbic acid of lettuce, as well as activity of selenocysteine methyltransferase (smt) and methionine methyltransferase (mmt) genes of the Se metabolic pathway. Lettuce was grown in the nutrient film technique (NFT) system. Se and SA were used at doses of 0.5 and 10.0 mg dm−3 of the nutrient solution, respectively. The treatments were: 1. control, 2. Na2SeO3, 3. Na2SeO3 + SA, 4. SeMet, 5. SeMet + SA, 6. SA. Se was accumulated more in the roots than the leaves. SeMet was more effective in biofortification than Na2SeO3. SA enhanced Se uptake, especially organic Se. Plants supplied with SeMet alone or SeMet + SA accumulated in their leaves mainly SeMet and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), while those treated with Na2SeO3 or Na2SeO3 + SA accumulated MeSeCys and selenite (SeO3−2). The roots showed no expression of smt, while the expression of two mmt genes was independent of either Se or SA. The leaves of plants supplied with Na2SeO3 demonstrated the strongest expression of mmt and smt.
Highlights
Selenium (Se) is a necessary component of mammalian metabolism, but it is not a plant nutrient [1].In humans and animals, Se is involved in the metabolism of the thyroid hormone and antioxidant protection system
Application of the inorganic and organic form of Se increased the content of this element in the leaves but the biofortification effect, which is determined based on total Se concentration, was considerably stronger when the plants were supplied with organic Se
Dominant Se speciation forms in the leaves of lettuce plants supplied with organic Se included organic SeMet and MeSeCys, which are highly desirable from a nutritional point of view
Summary
Selenium (Se) is a necessary component of mammalian metabolism, but it is not a plant nutrient [1]. Se is involved in the metabolism of the thyroid hormone and antioxidant protection system. Se deficiency enhances the risk of cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases [2]. According to estimates, it may be lacking in the diet of no less than one billion people worldwide [3]. Consumption of Se contained in plants is the most effective method of enriching the human diet in this element [4,5]. In some countries where soils are poor in Se, it is added to the fertilizers used for agricultural production [6]
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