Legume Biofortification to Increase Selenium Content

Abstract

Legumes carry out major and varied roles in the global agrarian system and global foodstuffs. They are considered ideal crops because they simultaneously achieve three developmental goals in a community: poverty reduction, enhanced human health and nutrition, and increased environmental resilience. Pulses are grown on land that is mostly used for low-input systems, and overall harvested area is around one-tenth that of all cereal crops. In 2008, cereal yields (3.54 t/ha) were over fourfold higher than pulse crop production (0.88 tonnes/ha). In contrast to population growth in emerging and industrialized countries, the worldwide pulse production has increased during the past 14 years at a faster rate.

Selenium is an essential element whose nutritional value is derived mostly from the actions of various selenoproteins and/or tiny selenium metabolites in the human body. Both inorganic (selenide, selenite, and selenate) and organic (selenomthionine, selenocysteine, and methylseleninic acid) forms of this metalloid element are in plants. Men with low dietary Se intake have been associated with oxidative stress, decreased reproductive and immunological functions, and an increased risk of cancer. The Institute of Medicine of the United States National Academy of Sciences states that the daily tolerable maximum consumption of Se for individuals is 400 grams, while the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults is 55 grams. Factors such as parent material and atmospheric inputs, as well as soil parameters that influence Se sorption strength, such as pH, soil organic matter content, and Fe, Al, and Mn hydrous oxides, influence selenium bioavailability in soil. Se intake can be raised through crop selection or agronomic biofortification, which entails applying Se-containing fertilizers to soil or using foliar sprays. In Finland, selenium-enriched fertilizers were introduced in 1984. If the daily caloric intake were 10 MJ, this would lead to an increase in selenium consumption from 38 g d⁻¹ to 80 g d⁻¹ following fortification in 2000. The increased consumption of genetically predisposed crop species for enhanced accumulation of Se is a possibility, while dietary changes are also a possibility. Within-species genetic variation, on the other hand, could be used to boost Se delivery to human food, a process known as genetic biofortification. It might be able to first choose current crop varieties that accumulate more Se. In the long run, it might be possible to cultivate crops with greater Se levels. Traditional breeding programs as a replacement to agronomic biofortification could well be devised if there is sufficient genetic diversity in Se concentration for a particular crop species and if this variation is heritable, which would reduce the need for Se fertilizers other than at the minimum soil Se concentrations. To boost Se concentrations in crops, more breeding materials and faster breeding techniques are required.

The Se fertilization of crops intended for direct consumption by humans will be necessary to provide the highest number of people imaginable with sufficient amounts and varieties of Se. This method is environmentally friendly and biologically safe, according to a large body of evidence. The bioavailability of selenium is influenced by a number of parameters, in addition to its total quantity in soil, which must be taken into account. In the long run, it may be possible to choose or breed crop varieties with more selenium content by utilizing genotypic variation in Se buildup in crops, which would reduce the requirement for selenium fertilizers in all but the lowest soil selenium conditions. This method may be more cost-effective than one that focuses only on research.