Difference in Selenium Accumulation in Shoots of Two Rice Cultivars

Two japonica rice （Oryza sativa L.） cultivars, Xiushui 48 and S. Andrea, differing in their ability to accumulate Se in the grain （as high as a three-fold difference）, were compared for selenium （Se） accumulation in their shoots when their growth media was supplied with different forms of Se. Results indicated that when treated with 0.25μmol L^-1 Na2SeO3, Xiushui 48 accumulation of Se in the shoots was significantly more rapid （P〈0.05） than S. Andrea, probably because of greater Se uptake and transport in Xiushui 48. Xiushui 48 rice seedlings had a higher shoot-Se accumulation rate and absorbed selenocysteine （Se-Cys） more rapidly than S. Andrea seedlings. However, when treated with Se as 0.25μmol L^-1 selenomethionine （Se-Met）, the S. Andrea seedlings＇ accumulation rate was significantly greater （P〈0.05） than that of Xiushui 48. Possibly, the high Se accumulation rate of Xiushui 48 seedling shoots compared to S. Andrea shoots was the result of a higher capacity of Xiushui 48 to transform selenite to organic Se compounds and a higher selenite uptake rate.

Performance of common buckwheat(Fagopyrum esculentum M.) supplied with selenite or selenate for selenium biofortification in northeastern China

Selenium(Se)deficiency commonly occurs in soils of northeastern China and leads to insufficient Se intake by humans.A two-year field study of Se biofortification of common buckwheat supplied with 40 g Se ha^(-1)as selenite(Se(IV)),selenate(Se(VI)),or a combination(1/2 Se(IV+VI))was performed to investigate Se accumulation and translocation in plants and determine the effects of different forms of Se on the grain yield,biomass production,and Se use efficiency of plants and seeds.Se application increased seed Se concentrations to 47.1–265.1μg kg^(-1).Seed Se concentrations following Se(VI)or 1/2 Se(IV+VI)treatment exceeded 100μg kg^(-1),an amount suitable for crop Se biofortification.Se concentration in shoots and roots decreased with plant development,and Se translocation from root to shoot in Se(IV)-treated plants was lower than that in plants treated with 1/2 Se(IV+VI)and Se(VI).Both grain yield and biomass production increased under 1/2 Se(IV+VI)treatment,with grain yields reaching 1663.8 and 1558.5 kg ha^(-1)in 2015 and 2016,respectively,reflecting increases of 11.0% and 10.3% over those without Se application.The Se use efficiency of seeds and plants under Se(VI)treatment was significantly higher than those under 1/2 Se(IV+VI)and Se(IV)treatments.Thus,application of selenate could result in higher Se accumulation in buckwheat seeds than application of the other Se sources,but the combined application of selenate and selenite might be an alternative approach for improving buckwheat grain yield by Se biofortification in northeastern China.

Edible Plants Enriched with Selenium

Selenium （Se） is an important element from the environmental and biological point of view. In the world, deficiency of Se in a diet occurs more often and nutritional supplements are recommended.The ability of several plants to accumulate and transform inorganic Se forms into its bioactive organic compounds has important implications for human nutrition and health. This work gives a brief overview of the study carried out to characterize Se species produced by different enriched edible plants which were grown in the presence of different Se species.