Biofortification of baby leafy vegetables using nutrient solution containing selenium.

Area of Science:

• Horticultural science
• Plant nutrition
• Food science

Background:

• Biofortification of vegetables is a key horticultural innovation for enhancing human health through essential minor elements.
• Selenium (Se) is crucial for human nutrition and plays a vital role in biological defense mechanisms.
• Baby leafy vegetables are increasingly important for the minimally processed food industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of selenium (Se) in nutrient solutions on the biofortification, yield, and quality of four baby leafy vegetables.
• To evaluate the crop-dependent Se accumulation ability in lamb's lettuce, lettuce, wild rocket, and spinach.

Main Methods:

• Four baby leafy vegetables (lamb's lettuce, lettuce, wild rocket, spinach) were cultivated in floating systems.
• Nutrient solutions were enriched with varying concentrations of Se (0, 2.6, 3.9, and 5.2 μmol L⁻¹ sodium selenate).
• Measurements included Se concentration, yield, nitrate, sugars, and mineral elements at harvest.

Main Results:

• Selenium treatments did not significantly affect yield, nitrate concentration, sucrose, or reducing sugars across species.
• Leaf Se concentrations increased linearly with rising Se levels in the nutrient solution for all tested species.
• Wild rocket exhibited the highest Se accumulation, reaching 11 μg g⁻¹ fresh weight at the highest Se treatment (5.2 μmol L⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• Floating systems offer an optimal, controlled environment for Se biofortification of leafy vegetables.
• Se accumulation varied significantly among species, with wild rocket, spinach, lettuce, and lamb's lettuce showing decreasing ability.
• The study highlights the crop-specific potential for developing Se-biofortified leafy vegetables for improved human nutrition.