Selenium Alleviates Manganese Toxicity in 'Red Fuji' Apple: Insights From Combined Physiological and Transcriptomic
Wanying Xie1, Lixing Wei2, Yu Tian1
1School of Horticulture, Ludong University, Yantai, China.
Physiologia Plantarum
|August 7, 2026
Summary
Selenium (Se) effectively reduces manganese (Mn) toxicity in apple trees by improving nutrient balance and photosynthetic stability. This study reveals Se
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Agricultural Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Manganese (Mn) toxicity is a significant stressor for apple trees, impacting growth and yield.
- The role of Selenium (Se) in mitigating Mn toxicity in *Malus domestica* (apple) remains largely unexplored.
- Understanding Se's mechanisms can improve crop resilience and agricultural practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Selenium (Se) in alleviating Manganese (Mn) toxicity in 'Red Fuji' apple trees.
- To elucidate the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying Se-mediated Mn tolerance.
- To provide a scientific basis for using Se in apple cultivation to combat Mn stress.
Main Methods:
- Application of selenite to Mn-stressed apple trees (*Malus domestica* cv. 'Red Fuji').
- Physiological analyses including nutrient element balance, photosynthetic system stability, and oxidative stress assessment.
- Transcriptomic profiling (RNA sequencing), Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).
Main Results:
- Selenite application balanced nutrient elements, stabilized photosynthesis, and reduced oxidative stress in apple trees.
- Se modulated hormone levels, promoted cell wall remodeling, and regulated key genes involved in photosynthesis and fatty acid metabolism.
- WGCNA identified core gene modules linked to antioxidant activity, chlorophyll content, and mineral nutrition, crucial for Mn stress response.
Conclusions:
- Selenium (Se) effectively mitigates Manganese (Mn) stress in 'Fuji' apples through multi-level regulatory mechanisms.
- Se enhances Mn tolerance by improving physiological functions and modulating gene expression related to stress response pathways.
- This research supports the application of Se-enriched agriculture for improving apple cultivation and crop resilience.
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