Selenium bioconcentration in Canadian oat (Avena sativa) from soils treated with nanoscale elemental selenium

Development of selenium (Se)-enriched agricultural products can increase human daily dietary Se intake in Se-deficient areas. Canadian oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Saddle) is one of the common cereal grains in the world. Previous studies have shown that Se accumulation in oat can be significantly affected by soil Se, but few have dealt with different chemical forms of Se, including emerging nanoscale elemental Se particles (SeNPs). Because SeNPs have unique chemical and physical properties in comparing with bulk elemental Se, this laboratory study determined the effects of soil SeNP treatments of 0, 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg on Se bioconcentration in oat grain, compared with bulk elemental Se or selenate (Na2SeO4). The results showed that the soil SeNP treatments significantly increased Se concentrations in oat grain with an increase in the treatment level from 1 to 10 mg/kg (P < 0.05). The distribution of Se accumulated in oat tissues followed a descending order of root and grain > husk > stem and leaf. While the grain yield was reduced with the higher soil selenate treatments of 5-10 mg/kg, the soil SeNP treatment of 1-10 mg/kg significantly enhanced the oat grain yield, compared with the control. Concentrations of Se in oat grains in the soil SeNP treatments were approximately 7-20-fold higher than were the concentrations of those in the soil bulk elemental Se treatments, but were about 7-26% of the concentrations in oat grains in the soil selenate treatments. This study demonstrated that nanoscale elemental Se particles could be used for development of soil Se-amended fertilisers for Se-biofortified oat.