Plant Soil Environ., 2026, 72(5):284-297 | DOI: 10.17221/72/2026-PSE

Selenium promotes soybean sprout growth via enhanced antioxidant capacity and nutrient mobilisationOriginal Paper

Kaiwei Li^1,2, Lele Li^1,2, Yuqing Liu^1,2, Sanchun Lei^1,2, Minghao Hao^1,2, Qiong Wu^1,2, Feiyan Yu^1,2,3, Lianhe Zhang^1,2,3

¹ Agricultural College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang City, Henan Province, P.R. China

² Luoyang Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Environmental Ecology, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China

³ Henan Jinxiwang Agricultural Science and Technology Company Limited, Luoyang, Henan, P.R. China

Selenium (Se) biofortification of soybean sprouts presents a promising approach for enhancing dietary Se intake. However, the physiological mechanisms of Se promoting growth remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of selenite (Na₂SeO₃) at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 μmol/L on soybean sprout development over 72 h. The results indicated that 5.0 and 7.5 μmol/L Na₂SeO₃ significantly promoted hypocotyl elongation and biomass accumulation. Se predominantly accumulated in the radicle, followed by the hypocotyl and cotyledon. Moderate selenite levels enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase; increased the concentrations of reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid, and free proline; and effectively suppressed the accumulation of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, thereby reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and alleviating oxidative stress. Concurrently, amylase and protease activities in cotyledons were stimulated, accelerating the hydrolysis of storage reserves. The resulting increases in soluble sugars, proteins, and free amino acids in the hypocotyl supported its elongation and biomass increase. In contrast, 10 μmol/L Na₂SeO₃ suppressed antioxidant enzyme activities, elevated reactive oxygen species and MDA levels, and inhibited growth. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that moderate Se enhances soybean sprout growth primarily by increasing antioxidant capacity, reducing oxidative stress, and facilitating the mobilisation of storage reserves toward the elongating hypocotyl, thereby revealing key physiological mechanisms for cultivating high-quality, Se-enriched sprouts.

Keywords: Se biofortification; antioxidant system; physiological characteristics; reserve mobilisation; growth promotion

Received: February 8, 2026; Revised: April 16, 2026; Accepted: April 17, 2026; Prepublished online: May 21, 2026; Published: May 26, 2026  Show citation