Sign in Subscribe
Agriculture

Selenium Application Enhances Wheat Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at the University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Portugal have found that selenium application can trigger modifications in plant metabolism, thereby inducing tolerance to abiotic stresses in wheat plants. The study, published in the journal Agriculture, evaluated the effects of foliar selenium application on wheat plants subjected to well-watered and water-deficit regimes. The research aimed to understand how selenium supplementation can lead to beneficial selenium concentrations in grains and straw, whether applied selenium concentrations have any negative impacts on plant performance, and whether selenium can aid wheat development under water-limited conditions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that foliar application of selenium increased selenium content in both straw and grains, with a noticeably higher accumulation in straw.
  • Under well-watered conditions, treatment with 160 g/ha selenium led to the highest selenium content in straw, enhanced straw biomass accumulation, and increased total soluble sugar content.
  • Under water-deficit conditions, selenium treatments increased spike length, total phenols, and ortho-diphenols when compared to selenium-untreated plants.
  • The research suggests that foliar application of 160 g/ha selenium under irrigation is a promising approach to enhance selenium content in bread wheat.
  • The study was funded by National Funds Through Fct-Portuguese Foundation For Science And Technology, Agricultural Production Chains-From Fork To Farm, European Social Funds, Regional Operational Programme Norte 2020, Fct/Mctes (Piddac), Cimo; Sustec.
  • The authors include Luis Rocha, Ermelinda Silva, Alexandre Goncalves, Catia Brito, Helena Ferreira, Carlos Matos, Aureliano C. Malheiro, Susana Araujo, Jose Lima-Brito, and Jose Moutinho-Pereira.

Statistics:

  • Selenium content in straw reached 4,253 ± 171 g per plant under well-watered conditions at 160 g/ha application rate.
  • Total soluble sugar content increased by 25% under well-watered conditions at 160 g/ha application rate.
  • Spike length increased by 12% under water-deficit conditions at 160 g/ha application rate.
  • Total phenols and ortho-diphenols increased by 18% and 22% respectively under water-deficit conditions at 160 g/ha application rate.
  • The study was published in the journal Agriculture, volume 15, issue 10, article 1086.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro Researchers Add New Study Findings to Research in Agriculture (Biomass, Physiological, and Antioxidant Activity Responses of Wheat Plants After Selenium Foliar Spray Under Water Deficit). Agriculture Week. June 12, 2025; p 5095.
  • Biomass, Physiological, and Antioxidant Activity Responses of Wheat Plants After Selenium Foliar Spray Under Water Deficit. Agriculture, 2025,15(10):1086. (Agriculture - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/agriculture).

Read more