Selenium in agriculture: a nutrient or contaminant for crops?

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for animals, humans, and microorganisms, but its role in the plants needs further exploration. It is considered beneficial at low levels, but is toxic at higher levels, and there is a fine boundary between these concentrations. Generally, Se levels less than 1 mg kg−1 have been found to be beneficial for the plants while higher levels cause toxicity in most of the agricultural crops. At low concentrations, Se can act as a plant growth regulator, antioxidant, anti-senescent, abiotic stress modulator, and defensive molecule against pathogens in plants. At higher concentrations, plants show various toxic symptoms, which include stunting of growth, chlorosis, withering, and drying of leaves, decreased protein synthesis premature and even death of the plant. The roles of selenium as enhancer and inhibitor of plant growth in various agricultural crops are discussed here with recent updates. Biofortification of some crops with Se using agronomic and genetic approaches is being explored to cultivate them in the regions having Se-deficiency in foods. Strategies of phytoremediation of Se in hyperaccumulators and transgenic plants overexpressing enzyme/proteins to increase Se tolerance are also described.