Selenium and Iodine Biofortification Interacting with Supplementary Blue Light to Enhance the Growth Characteristics, Pigments, Trigonelline and Seed Yield of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-gracum L.)

Abstract

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual plant belonging to the family Fabaceae and has fodder, medicinal and spice uses, and is also used as an organic fertilizer. A total of 18 treatments including the combination of two light environments (with and without supplementary blue light), three concentrations of potassium iodate (0, 2 and 4 mg L−1) and four concentrations of sodium selenate (0, 2 and 4 mg L−1) were organized in a three-way factorial experiment to evaluate the growth characteristics, pigments, trigonelline and seed yield of fenugreek in a greenhouse. The application of 4 mg L−1 of Se resulted in the highest carotenoid, anthocyanin, plant length, fresh weight, chlorophyll and relative water content. The fresh and dry weight of the shoot and the anthocyanin increased with the 2 h supplementation of sunlight with a blue spectrum; however, the fresh root decreased. The interaction of blue light with 0 mg L−1 of Se significantly reduced the plant length. The content of trigonelline was significantly improved with the application of blue light supplementation without negatively affecting the seed yield. In general, 2 h supplementing of sunlight with blue light and feeding with 4 mg L−1 of selenium and iodine are recommended to improve various traits, including trigonelline content.