A study on application of selenium improves production

of secondary metabolites of plants grown under heavy

metals contaminated soil

Abstract:
Soil contamination by heavy metals common across the world due to both geologic
and anthropogenic activities. Soils become contaminated by the accumulation of
heavy metals and metalloids through emissions from the rapidly expanding industrial
areas, mine tailings, disposal of high metal wastes, leaded gasoline and paints, use
of fertilizers, animal manures, sewage sludge, pesticides, wastewater irrigation, coal

combustion residues, spillage of petrochemicals, and atmospheric deposition . As a

result, agricultural ecosystem (plants and soil) and human health get affected by the
accumulation of contaminants. Selenium is very effective in reducing cell oxidative
damage caused by various heavy metals present in the soil. Selenium has ability to
combine with heavy metals to form non-toxic Se-metals complexes in the soil root
environment. Plants take selenium from the soil in the form of selenate ( SeO−4) or
selenite (SeO−3) and metabolised through sulphate assimilation pathways. At low
concentration selenium enhance plant growth and improve antioxidant capacity of
plants. At high concentration selenium acts as a pro-oxidant and leads to drastic
reduction in yields. It is well known that secondary metabolites (SMs) like phenolics,
flavonoids and saponins was observed to be reduced on exposure of Cd and Cu
treatment. Under the stress of heavy metals mixture As, Cd, and Pb, the antioxidant
defence system, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and
malondialdehyde level increases and hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2) and oxygen free
radicals decreases. In order to understand the application of selenium in agriculture,
this study investigated the influence of selenium on SMs like terpenes, phenolics,
flavonoids and saponins in a x plant under metal mixture As, Cd, and Pb. The result
of this study would indicate that selenium may be the powerful tool for promoting
plant growth.
The objectives of this study are-

(1) To determine the inhibition of uptake of heavy metals by supplementation of

selenium.
(2) To determine the secondary metabolite yield and its quality after selenium
treatment

Reference:

Fenga
,
Ren Wei, Application of inorganic selenium to reduce accumulation and toxicity of
heavy metals (metalloids) in plants. J. sci. of total env. June 2021
Md. A. Shahid, Selenium impedes cadmium and arsenic toxicity in potato by modulating
carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2019 Sep

Ibrahim Md. Hafiz, Effect of Cadmium and Copper Exposure on Growth, Secondary
Metabolites and Antioxidant Activity in the Medicinal Plant Sambung Nyawa j. MDPI Oct
2017

Wuana Raymond A., Heavy Metals in Contaminated Soils: A Review of Sources, Chemistry,
Risks and Best Available Strategies for Remediation j. International Scholarly Research
Notices oct 2011

Hasanuzzaman M. Selenium in Higher Plants: Physiological Role, Antioxidant Metabolism

and Abiotic Stress Tolerance. Oct, 2010

Wu Zhilin Indications of Selenium Protection against Cadmium and Lead Toxicity in Oilseed
Rape (Brassica napus L.) j. frontier in plant sci. Dec 2016