Selenium Application to Enhance Selenium-Use Efficiency in Legume Plants

This study aimed to determine the selenium-use efficiencies of different legume plants treated with Se application. The experiment was established according to a completely randomized block design with three replications under greenhouse conditions. Six legume plants (broad bean [Standard], kidney bean [Özdemir], pea [Bolero], bean [Şehirali], lentil [Sultan], chickpea [Hasanbey]) were treated with increasing rates of Se application (0, 0.5, 2.5, and 5 mg Se/kg). Macro- (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and micronutrient (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and B) concentrations, selenium content, and removed selenium content of grain samples taken at harvest were assessed. In addition to the effects of Se application on protein content and yield, selenium-use (agronomic, physiological, and reuptake) efficiencies were determined. As a result of the study, depending on the selenium application rate, all examined parameters increased compared to the control. Since the grain Se content of all plants reached the desired level of 100–1000 µg Se/kg (when 100 g was consumed) with 0.5 mg Se/kg application, this Se dose was used to calculate selenium-use (agronomic, physiological, and reuptake) efficiencies. The average physiological selenium-use, agronomic selenium-use, and selenium-reuptake efficiencies of grain of the plants differed, and were determined to be 0.70, 0.056, and 8.33%, respectively. In addition, it can be said that among the six legumes evaluated, bean (Şehirali) was an effective plant, due to higher values of selenium-reuptake efficiency, grain Se content, and yield. Bean, with the highest selenium-reuptake efficiency among legumes, is recommended for human and animal nutrition due to its high Se content and Se uptake.