Biofortification with selenium and implications in the absorption of macronutrients in Raphanus sativus L

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis Vol. 86; p. 103382
• Main Authors: da Silva, Deivisson Ferreira, Cipriano, Patriciani Estela, de Souza, Ray Rodrigues, Siueia, Matias, Faquin, Valdemar, de Souza Silva, Maria Ligia, Guilherme, Luiz Roberto Guimarães
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Macro elements; Radish; Selenate; Selenite; Soil and foliar application; Selenite; Selenate; Radish; Soil and foliar application; Macro elements
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2019.103382

•The contents of Se in the root were superior for the application via soil using the selenate.•The selenate source applied via soil was superior to the foliar application and the control treatment.•The S content in the root was lower for selenate applied to soil with other treatments.•Strong negative correlation between root S content and root content Se in the root (−0.78).
It is well known that selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans, presenting antioxidant functions. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Raphanus sativus L. as an agricultural crop indicated for selenium biofortification and to investigate the influence of different sources and forms of application on Se accumulation and macronutrient absorption. The experiment followed a randomized complete design with five replicates, arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme, consisting of two sources of Se (sodium selenate and sodium selenite) and two forms of application (application in the soil at the dose of 1.2 mg kg−1 of Se and foliar application at the dose of 50 μmol L−1 of Se), with a control treatment without the addition of selenium. The accumulations of Se in the leaf, root, and whole plants were higher with the selenate source applied via soil when compared with the foliar application. For the selenite source applied via soil, Se root contents were higher when compared with the fertilization via leaf. The Se content in the root was lower for the selenate applied via soil when compared with the other treatments and the control. Raphanus sativus L is an agricultural crop suitable for the agronomic biofortification of selenium, since it concentrates the appropriate levels of Se in the roots and leaves, not harming the crop yield. The application of Se in the form of selenate and via soil was the best technique to increase the contents of Se in the plant, without causing damages in the accumulation of biomass, despite having led to a reduction in the accumulation of S.