Role of Selenium in Biofortification of Vegetable Crops

Abstract

Micronutrient malnutrition impacts more than two billion individuals worldwide, with selenium insufficiency becoming a notable issue for human health. Biofortifying vegetable crops with selenium offers a sustainable approach to mitigate this nutritional issue and improve global food security. The efficacy of selenium biofortification is contingent upon several parameters, including application techniques, plant physiology, and environmental circumstances. Various methods, including agronomic treatments, selective breeding, and genetic engineering, have demonstrated potential in increasing selenium levels in vegetable crops. These techniques include foliar spraying, soil fertilization, hydroponics, and microbial-assisted biofortification across many vegetable types. Plant genetic resources contain several unexamined allelic variations for selenium absorption, metabolism, and accumulation. Comprehending selenium accumulation patterns in hyperaccumulators, secondary accumulators, and non-accumulators offers essential insights for crop enhancement. Advanced biotechnology instruments and high-throughput screening techniques provide prospects to expedite selenium biofortification initiatives. Nonetheless, obstacles persist in optimizing selenium levels, guaranteeing economic feasibility, and formulating climate-resilient biofortification approaches. The amalgamation of contemporary breeding methodologies with conventional practices, alongside an enhanced comprehension of selenium metabolism and transport pathways, offers potential for the advancement of more efficacious biofortification tactics in vegetable crops. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.