Natural and Anthropogenic Origin Selenium in the Context of Plants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 6616

Special Issue Editors

Agricultural Botany, Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Department, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, H-4032 Boszormenyi street 138 52-508-444/88486
Interests: plant biology; selenium; crop fortifiation; phytoremediaton; green biomass utilization; green protein production
1. (Temporary) Agricultural Botany, Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Department, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
2. (Permentant) Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
Interests: soil fertility; plant nutrition; nanoparticles; selenium; silica; osmoregulators; soil health; phytoremediation; abiotic stresses; green biorefinery; fortification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Selenium is essential for humans. There is growing evidence that the adequate quantity and quality of selenium supply supports the cognitive and immune function; it also reduces susceptibility to infections, including virus infections and cancer. Considering today’s serious coronavirus pandemic, the importance of selenium can be further appreciated. Plants have a special position in selenium chemistry. Although the Se essentiality to higher plants is still under argument, several plants can uptake different inorganic Se forms and convert more bioavailable organic forms. Therefore, selenium fortification by conventional crop breeding or genetic engineering as well as agronomical tools in an open or closed system can be beneficial not only for humans or farm animals but also for plants themselves.

This Special Issue of Plants will cover the plants–selenium context illuminated from several aspects. Selenium-induced alterations in phytochemical composition of plants, molecular mechanisms of plant biological changes responding to selenium eustress or distress, antagonism between Se and other nutrients in growth media, Se speciation with different plant tissues, and transformation of different Se forms in soil via soil biota will be investigated. Additionally, the Special Issue invites submissions on topics related to ecological and economic aspects of crop selenium fortification and remediation.

Dr. Éva Domokos-Szabolcsy
Dr. Tarek Alshaal
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • crops
  • selenium analytics
  • selenium deficiency
  • xenohormesis
  • physiology
  • selenium biotransformation
  • selenium fortification
  • selenium economy
  • selenium ecology

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

20 pages, 1378 KiB  
Article
Floret Biofortification of Broccoli Using Amino Acids Coupled with Selenium under Different Surfactants: A Case Study of Cultivating Functional Foods
by Dimitris L. Bouranis, Georgios P. Stylianidis, Vassiliki Manta, Evangelos N. Karousis, Andriani Tzanaki, Despina Dimitriadi, Emmanuel A. Bouzas, Vassilis F. Siyiannis, Violetta Constantinou-Kokotou, Styliani N. Chorianopoulou and Elke Bloem
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1272; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061272 - 10 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1568
Abstract
Broccoli serves as a functional food because it can accumulate selenium (Se), well-known bioactive amino-acid-derived secondary metabolites, and polyphenols. The chemical and physical properties of Se are very similar to those of sulfur (S), and competition between sulfate and selenate for uptake and [...] Read more.
Broccoli serves as a functional food because it can accumulate selenium (Se), well-known bioactive amino-acid-derived secondary metabolites, and polyphenols. The chemical and physical properties of Se are very similar to those of sulfur (S), and competition between sulfate and selenate for uptake and assimilation has been demonstrated. Towards an efficient agronomic fortification of broccoli florets, the working questions were whether we could overcome this competition by exogenously applying the S-containing amino acids cysteine (Cys) or/and methionine (Met), or/and the precursors of Glucosinolate (GSL) types along with Se application. Broccoli plants were cultivated in a greenhouse and at the beginning of floret growth, we exogenously applied sodium selenate in the concentration gradient of 0, 0.2, 1.5, and 3.0 mM to study the impact of increased Se concentration on the organic S (Sorg) content of the floret. The Se concentration of 0.2 mM (Se0.2) was coupled with the application of Cys, Met, their combination, or a mixture of phenylalanine, tryptophane, and Met. The application took place through fertigation or foliar application (FA) by adding isodecyl alcohol ethoxylate (IAE) or a silicon ethoxylate (SiE) surfactant. Fresh biomass, dry mass, and Se accumulation in florets were evaluated, along with their contents of Sorg, chlorophylls (Chl), carotenoids (Car), glucoraphanin (GlRa), glucobrassicin (GlBra), glucoiberin (GlIb), and polyphenols (PPs), for the biofortification efficiency of the three application modes. From the studied selenium concentration gradient, the foliar application of 0.2 mM Se using silicon ethoxylate (SiE) as a surfactant provided the lowest commercially acceptable Se content in florets (239 μg or 0.3 μmol g−1 DM); it reduced Sorg (−45%), GlIb (−31%), and GlBr (−27%); and it increased Car (21%) and GlRa (27%). Coupled with amino acids, 0.2 mM Se provided commercially acceptable Se contents per floret only via foliar application. From the studied combinations, that of Met,Se0.2/FA,IAE provided the lowest Se content per floret (183 μg or 0.2 μmol g−1 DM) and increased Sorg (35%), Car (45%), and total Chl (27%), with no effect on PPs or GSLs. Cys,Met,Se0.2/FA,IAE and amino acid mix,Se0.2/FA,IAE increased Sorg content, too, by 36% and 16%, respectively. Thus, the foliar application with the IAE surfactant was able to increase Sorg, and methionine was the amino acid in common in these treatments, with varying positive effects on carotenoids and chlorophylls. Only the Cys,Met,Se0.2 combination presented positive effects on GSLs, especially GlRa, but it reduced the fresh mass of the floret. The foliar application with SiE as a surfactant failed to positively affect the organic S content. However, in all studied combinations of Se 0.2 mM with amino acids, the Se content per floret was commercially acceptable, the yield was not affected, the content of GSLs was increased (especially that of GlRa and GlIb), and PPs were not affected. The content of GlBr decreased except for the treatment with methionine (Met,Se0.2/FA,SiE) where GlBr remained unaffected. Hence, the combination of Se with the used amino acids and surfactants can provide enhanced biofortification efficiency in broccoli by providing florets as functional foods with enhanced functional properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural and Anthropogenic Origin Selenium in the Context of Plants)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3463 KiB  
Article
Hyperaccumulator Stanleya pinnata: In Situ Fitness in Relation to Tissue Selenium Concentration
by Leonardo Warzea Lima, McKenna Castleberry, Ami L. Wangeline, Bernadette Aguirre, Stefano Dall’Acqua, Elizabeth A. H. Pilon-Smits and Michela Schiavon
Plants 2022, 11(5), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11050690 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1516
Abstract
Earlier studies have shown that Stanleya pinnata benefits from selenium hyperaccumulation through ecological benefits and enhanced growth. However, no investigation has assayed the effects of Se hyperaccumulation on plant fitness in the field. This research aimed to analyze how variation in Se accumulation [...] Read more.
Earlier studies have shown that Stanleya pinnata benefits from selenium hyperaccumulation through ecological benefits and enhanced growth. However, no investigation has assayed the effects of Se hyperaccumulation on plant fitness in the field. This research aimed to analyze how variation in Se accumulation affects S. pinnata fitness, judged from physiological and biochemical performance parameters and herbivory while growing naturally on two seleniferous sites. Natural variation in Se concentration in vegetative and reproductive tissues was determined, and correlations were explored between Se levels with fitness parameters, herbivory damage, and plant defense compounds. Leaf Se concentration varied between 13- and 55-fold in the two populations, averaging 868 and 2482 mg kg−1 dry weight (DW). Furthermore, 83% and 31% of plants from the two populations showed Se hyperaccumulator levels in leaves (>1000 mg kg−1 DW). In seeds, the Se levels varied 3–4-fold and averaged 3372 and 2267 mg kg−1 DW, well above the hyperaccumulator threshold. Plant size and reproductive parameters were not correlated with Se concentration. There was significant herbivory pressure even on the highest-Se plants, likely from Se-resistant herbivores. We conclude that the variation in Se hyperaccumulation did not appear to enhance or compromise S. pinnata fitness in seleniferous habitats within the observed Se range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural and Anthropogenic Origin Selenium in the Context of Plants)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2132 KiB  
Article
Uptake Dynamics of Ionic and Elemental Selenium Forms and Their Metabolism in Multiple-Harvested Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
by Zoltán Kovács, Áron Soós, Béla Kovács, László Kaszás, Nevien Elhawat, Nóra Bákonyi, Mutasem Razem, Miklós G. Fári, József Prokisch, Éva Domokos-Szabolcsy and Tarek Alshaal
Plants 2021, 10(7), 1277; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071277 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2417
Abstract
A pot experiment, under greenhouse conditions, was carried out aiming at investigating the agronomic biofortification of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with Se and monitoring the Se uptake and accumulation dynamics within four consecutive harvests within the same growing season. Two ionic Se [...] Read more.
A pot experiment, under greenhouse conditions, was carried out aiming at investigating the agronomic biofortification of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with Se and monitoring the Se uptake and accumulation dynamics within four consecutive harvests within the same growing season. Two ionic Se forms, i.e., sodium selenate (Se (VI)) and sodium selenite (Se (IV)), were applied once at a rate of 1, 10, and 50 mg kg−1 (added on Se basis), while 10 and 50 mg L−1 of a red elemental Se (red Se0) were used; all Se treatments were added as soil application. Application of Se (VI) at the rate of 50 mg kg−1 was toxic to alfalfa plants. The effect of Se forms on Se accumulation in alfalfa tissues, regardless of the applied Se concentration, follows: Se (VI) > Se (IV) > red Se0. The leaf, in general, possessed higher total Se content than the stem in all the treatments. The accumulation of Se in stem and leaf tissues showed a gradual decline between the harvests, especially for plants treated with either Se (VI) or Se (IV); however, the chemically synthesized red Se0 showed different results. The treatment of 10 mg kg−1 Se (VI) resulted in the highest total Se content in stem (202.5 and 98.0 µg g−1) and leaf (643.4 and 284.5 µg g−1) in the 1st and 2nd harvests, respectively. Similar tendency is reported for the Se (IV)-treated plants. Otherwise, the application of red Se0 resulted in a lower Se uptake; however, less fluctuation in total Se content between the four harvests was noticed compared to the ionic Se forms. The Se forms in stem and leaf of alfalfa extracted by water and subsequently by protease XIV enzyme were measured by strong anion exchange (SAX) HPLC-ICP-MS. The major Se forms in our samples were selenomethionine (SeMet) and Se (VI), while neither selenocysteine (SeCys) nor Se (IV) was detected. In water extract, however, Se (VI) was the major Se form, while SeMet was the predominant form in the enzyme extract. Yet, Se (VI) and SeMet contents declined within the harvests, except in stem of plants treated with 50 mg L−1 red Se0. The highest stem or leaf SeMet yield %, in all harvests, corresponded to the treatment of 50 mg L−1 red Se0. For instance, 63.6% (in stem) and 38.0% (in leaf) were calculated for SeMet yield % in the 4th harvest of plants treated with 50 mg L−1 red Se0. Our results provide information about uptake and accumulation dynamics of different ionic Se forms in case of multiple-harvested alfalfa, which, besides being a good model plant, is an important target plant species in green biorefining. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural and Anthropogenic Origin Selenium in the Context of Plants)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop