ABSTRACT
The essentiality of selenium (Se) and iodine (I) to human beings and the widespread areas of selenium and iodine deficiency determine the high significance of functional food production with high levels of these elements. In this respect, joint biofortification of agricultural crops with Se and I is especially attractive. Nevertheless, in practice this topic has raised many problems connected with the possible utilization of many Se and I chemical forms, different doses and biofortification methods, and the existence of wide species and varietal differences. The limited reports relevant to this subject and the multiplicity of unsolved questions urge the need for an adequate evaluation of the results obtained up-to-date, useful for developing further future investigations. The present review discusses the outcome of joint plant Se-I biofortification, as well as factors affecting Se and I accumulation in plants, paying special attention to unsolved issues. A particular focus has been given to the prospects of herb sprouts production enriched with Se and I, as well as the interactions between the latter microelements and arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).
ABSTRACT
The need to improve crop yield and quality, decrease the level of mineral fertilizers and pesticides/herbicides supply, and increase plants' immunity are important topics of agriculture in the 21st century. In this respect, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may be considered as a crucial tool in the development of a modern environmentally friendly agriculture. The efficiency of AMF application is connected to genetic peculiarities of plant and AMF species, soil characteristics and environmental factors, including biotic and abiotic stresses, temperature, and precipitation. Among vegetable crops, Allium species are particularly reactive to soil mycorrhiza, due to their less expanded root apparatus surface compared to most other species. Moreover, Allium crops are economically important and able to synthesize powerful anti-carcinogen compounds, such as selenomethyl selenocysteine and gamma-glutamyl selenomethyl selenocysteine, which highlights the importance of the present detailed discussion about the AMF use prospects to enhance Allium plant growth and development. This review reports the available information describing the AMF effects on the seasonal, inter-, and intra-species variations of yield, biochemical characteristics, and mineral composition of Allium species, with a special focus on the selenium accumulation both in ordinary conditions and under selenium supply.
ABSTRACT
Forage quality characteristics of field-grown mixtures of sainfoin with cocksfoot (50:50%), sainfoin with tall fescue (50:50%), and the same with the addition of subterranean clover in their composition (33:33:33%) were measured. Forage biomass from the mixtures of sainfoin with cocksfoot had generally higher forage quality than mixtures with tall fescue. It had higher crude protein content (11.52% of dry matter (with 1.07% units), significantly higher digestibility (61.74%) (with 6.51% units), higher neutral detergent fiber content (53.42%) (with 3.22% units), higher nutritive value (Unité Fourragère Viande - Unité Fourragère Lait, 0.690-0.583) and higher protein feeding value (Total Digestible Protein - Protein digestible dans l'intestine in dependence of nitrogen - Protein digestible dans l'intestine in dependence of energy), 72-70-79â¯g/kg of dry matter. Forage biomass showed more balanced basic chemical composition after the addition of subterranean clover, i.e.: higher crude protein content (with 0.30% units) and lower crude fiber content (with 0.14% units) for mixtures with cocksfoot; higher digestibility (with 0.29% units) for mixtures with cocksfoot; lower neutral detergent fiber content (with 0.45% units) for mixtures with cocksfoot and with 3.15% units for mixtures with tall fescue, higher energy feeding value (Unité Fourragère Viande - Unité Fourragère Lait) (with 0.007-0.012 for mixtures with cocksfoot and with 0.009-0.014 for mixtures with tall fescue), higher protein feeding value for both mixtures with cocksfoot and tall fescue. Forage biomass from mixtures of sainfoin with cocksfoot and Trifolium subterraneum ssp. brachycalicinum had the highest crude protein (11.89% of dry matter), the lowest crude fiber content (27.07% of dry matter) and the highest digestibility (62.81% of dry matter).
