Selenium Supplementation Alleviates Drought-induced Impacts in Plants: A Global Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Plant Science
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Climate change exacerbates drought frequency and severity, negatively impacting global plant growth and agricultural productivity.
• Understanding plant physiological responses to drought stress is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of selenium (Se) application in alleviating drought stress in plants.
• To synthesize findings from multiple studies on Se's role in enhancing plant performance under water-limited conditions.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was performed on 111 peer-reviewed studies involving 48 plant species.
• Data were analyzed to assess the association between Se application and plant performance metrics under drought stress.

Main Results:

• Se supplementation significantly mitigated biomass losses, increasing shoot, root, and grain biomass by 21.2%, 23.4%, and 21.7%, respectively.
• Optimal Se efficacy was observed with Se(IV) form, doses ≥50 mg L^-1, and root application, leading to the largest gains.
• Se treatment improved plant water status, photosynthetic capacity, and nutrient uptake, while reducing oxidative stress and increasing osmoprotectants.

Conclusions:

• Selenium application effectively enhances plant drought tolerance across various species.
• Findings provide targeted insights for optimizing crop management strategies in water-stressed agricultural environments.