The impact of selenium on insects.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Toxicology
• Entomology

Background:

• Selenium is a naturally occurring metalloid, essential in trace amounts for humans but toxic at higher doses.
• Insect exposure to selenium through food can negatively impact mortality, growth, development, and behavior across various orders.
• Limited research exists on selenium's effects on beneficial insects, with varied outcomes including enhanced predation and population reduction.

Approach:

• This review synthesizes existing studies on selenium toxicity in insects.
• It examines the variability in insect responses to selenium exposure.
• The review explores selenium's potential as an insecticide and identifies future research directions.

Key Points:

• Insect toxicity from selenium exposure is widespread but lacks clear inter-order or intra-family patterns.
• Variability in selenium toxicity may stem from multiple modes of action, including amino acid modification and microbiome impacts.
• The impact on beneficial insects is inconsistent, ranging from positive effects on predation to negative impacts on population growth.

Conclusions:

• Selenium's insecticidal potential requires species-by-species evaluation due to variable toxicity.
• Further research is needed to determine selenium's compatibility with biological control agents in pest management.
• Understanding selenium's complex interactions is crucial for its potential application in pest control strategies.