Lettuce biofortification with selenium in chitosan-polyacrylic acid complexes

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential element of the human diet. Therefore, it is necessary to implement Se in selenium-deficient soils and in the nutrient solution of soilless system culture. Although it is not considered as an essential element for plants, Se provides benefits at the level of redox metabolism, increasing the resistance of plants to various stress factors. The increase of the availability of Se, with the use of biopolymer complexes, was sought in Lactuca sativa var. Great Lakes, grown in substrate pots treated with SeO2 (5 mg Se/plant), chitosan-polyacrylic acid complex + Se (Cs-PAA + Se) (5 mg Se/plant), and chitosan-polyacrylic acid complex (Cs-PAA). The redox metabolism was modified by increasing the enzymatic activity of catalase and glutathione peroxidase. The use of Cs-PAA + Se biopolymer complexes increased Se up to 24 mg/Kg dry weight (DW) in plant tissues.