Impacts of Selenium Foliar Biofortification on the Biochemical Composition and Grain Yield of Rice Cultivars

Selenium Se is an essential micronutrient for humans and animals linked to important biological functions in the body, where its deficiency has been associated with serious diseases. Rice is essential in feeding more than half of the world's population. Some studies show beneficial effects of Se in higher plants. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the effect of leaf Se doses on biofortification, agronomic characteristics and biochemical characteristics of the grains of two irrigated rice cultivars. The factors under study were five doses of Se (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 g ha-1) using as sodium selenate source (Na2SeO4), and two rice cultivars (IRGA-424 and IRGA-426). The leaf application of Na2SeO4 allowed the biofortification of rice grains with Se, however, it affected its yield and some biochemical components. The cultivar IRGA-426 Se shows superior because it allows a higher concentration of Se in the grains, presents higher yield and better nutritional content. The cultivar IRGA-426 with the dose 60 g ha-1 Se was the viable combination to increase the content of Se in the grains, which may result in benefits for the health and food safety of the population.