This mini review explains how plants take up and transform selenium and how selenium fertilization can alter other health-related compounds in crops. Plants absorb selenate through sulfate transporters, so sulfur competes with selenium uptake. Selenium accumulation varies greatly between species growing on the same seleniferous soil.
Key numbers
- Reported estimate: selenium deficiency affects 800 million people worldwide (p. 1).
- Seleniferous soils contain more than 1 and up to 100 mg/kg selenium; plant selenium on such soils may vary more than 100-fold between species (p. 2).
- This paper reports no new numerical findings.
Methods (brief)
Narrative mini review of plant physiology, genetic engineering and biofortification literature.
Evidence fitness
Supports mechanistic context on plant uptake, the sulfur-selenium interaction and biofortification. It is not a source of food concentration or intake data.
Limitations
Short narrative review; figures are secondary.
Related evidence
Update history
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