Selenium Accumulation and Selenium-Salt Cotolerance in Five Grass Species
- Lin Wu ,
- Zhang-Zhi Huang and
- Richard G. Burau
Selenium is essential for animal health but is toxic at high concentrations. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of Se accumulation and Se-salt (NaCl) cotolerance in forage and turfgrass species in order to explore the potential of using these grass species for land and water renovation, and for forage or seed production on land contaminated with Se and/or salt. Five grass species including tall fescue (Festuca arandinaceae Schred.), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum Fisch.), buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.], seaside bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.), and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Syn.] were studied. Selenium uptake and Se and salt tolerance were examined under nutrient solution culture conditions. Distinct differences in both Se and salt tolerance were detected among the five species under 2 mg Se L−1 or 200 mM NaCl, but no direct association between Se and salt tolerance was found. The species with greater tolerance accumulated less Se thand id the less tolerant species. Tall fescue displayed considerable tolerance under 2 mg Se L−1 or 100 mM salt treatment and accumulated up to 400 μg Se g−1 dry wt. in the plant tissue without growth reduction. Combine Se and salt treatment revealed that Se uptake was increased by addition of salt in the culture solution. However, Na uptake was not significantly affected by the presence of Se. Tall fescue presents a promising potential for use on soils with relatively high levels of salinity and Se.
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