Agronomic biofortification of cowpea with selenium by foliar fertilization: effect of doses in three cultivars

Abstract

Selenium (Se) deficiency in the human population is one of the major nutritional problems in the world. A possible solution is biofortification. Biofortification is a process that increases the element of interest’s concentration in food by fertilizer applications (agronomic biofortification) or by genetic breeding focused on accumulation capacity for this element (genetic biofortification). Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the effect of Se doses on biofortification efficiency and agronomic traits of cowpea cultivars. The factors here studied were five doses of Se (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 g ha⁻¹), using sodium selenate (Na₂SeO₄) as Se source, and three cultivars of cowpea (BRS-Cauamé, BRS-Guariba, and BRS-Itaim). Foliar application of selenate allows biofortification of selenium in cowpea grains without an impact on growth, development, and grain yield. The biofortification of Se in cowpea seeds can contribute to the food security of the low-income population of tropical regions.

Keywords:

• Fertilizers
• food security
• grain yield
• Vigna unguiculata

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.