ABSTRACT
Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human health, and it plays an important role in selenoproteins by forming the active site as selenocysteine. Plant foods provide the main sources of Se for human beings. People can improve Se content in soybeans by improving cultivation techniques and applying Se to soil and plants. However, Se applied to the soil by mixing with chemical fertilizers is readily fixed and lost, resulting in a low utilization efficiency. In contrast, foliar spraying of Se was postulated to be more effective for increasing Se concentration in soybean seeds without experiencing negative effects within the soil profile. Selenite absorption is well investigated in plants, but the physiological characteristics of selenite absorption by soybean leaf blades are not fully understood. Selenite absorption in leaf blades varied with pH values in absorption solutions. Effects of ABA and PEG on selenite absorption in wheat leaf blades were investigated to determine whether leaf blades take up selenite via stomata.
