Effect of Selenium Application on Growth, Antioxidative Capacity, and Nutritional Quality in Purple Lettuce Seedlings

Selenium (Se) is involved in the growth and development of plants. More importantly, Se from plant foods a primary source intake for humans animals. Improving content vegetables through biofortification an effective way to solve hidden hunger induced by deficiency. This study demonstrated effect different exogenous application concentrations on growth, antioxidative capacity, nutritional quality purple lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa L. “Purple Rome”) at seedling stage. The low concentration (≤8 μM) significantly promoted growth. Conversely, high (16 inhibited overproduced reactive oxygen species root tips, which caused oxidative damage membrane lipids cell death. Furthermore, enzyme activities gene expression antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase-peroxidase, catalase, were increased under application. accumulation nutrients Remarkably, positively related anthocyanin contents. levels chalcone synthase correlated with contents contributes role provides reference producing high-quality rich anthocyanins.