Open Access

ARTICLE

Effects of Seed Priming and Foliar Application of Selenite, Nanoselenium, and Microselenium on Growth, Biomolecules, and Nutrients in Cucumber Seedlings

Oscar Sariñana-Aldaco¹, Carmen Alicia Ayala-Contreras¹, Susana González-Morales², Gregorio Cadenas-Pliego³, Marissa Pérez-Alvarez³, América Berenice Morales-Díaz⁴, Dámaris Leopoldina Ojeda-Barrios⁵, José Gerardo Uresti-Porras⁶, Adalberto Benavides-Mendoza^7,*

1 Postdoctoral Program SECIHTI, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo, 25315, Coahuila, Mexico
2 SECIHTI, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo, 25315, Coahuila, Mexico
3 Macromolecular Chemistry and Nanomaterials, Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Saltillo, 25294, Coahuila, Mexico
4 Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, 25900, Coahuila, Mexico
5 Faculty of Agrotechnological Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Ciudad Universitaria Campus 1 s/n, Chihuahua, 31310, Chihuahua, Mexico
6 Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, General Escobedo, 66050, Nuevo León, Mexico
7 Department of Horticulture, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo, 25315, Coahuila, Mexico

* Corresponding Author: Adalberto Benavides-Mendoza. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Application of Nanomaterials in Plants)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(7), 2131-2153. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.067577

Received 07 May 2025; Accepted 20 June 2025; Issue published 31 July 2025

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is a nutrient that is considered beneficial for plants, because its improvement in growth, yield and quality helps plants to mitigate stress. The objective of this research was to evaluate the application of sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃), nanoparticles (SeNPs) and microparticles (SeMPs) of Se in cucumber seedlings, via two experiments: one with seed priming and the other with foliar application of Se materials. The doses used were: 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 3.0 mg · L⁻¹, for each form of Se and for each form of application. Treatment 0 consisted of the application of distilled water, which was used as a control. The results indicated that the SeMPs treatment at 3.0 mg · L⁻¹ for seed priming had the greatest effect on stem diameter and leaf area. Foliar application of SeMPs at 1.5 mg · L⁻¹ was the most effective at increasing the leaf area. In terms of fresh and dry biomass (aerial, root and total) for seed priming, all the treatments were superior to the control, and SeMPs at 1.5 and 3.0 mg · L⁻¹ caused the greatest effects. With foliar application, fresh root biomass improved to a greater extent with the SeMPs treatment at 3.0 mg · L⁻¹, and dry biomass (aerial, root and total) increased with the SeMPs at 1.0 and 3.0 mg · L⁻¹. With respect to the photosynthetic pigments, proteins, phenols and minerals, the Se treatments, both for seed priming and foliar application, caused increases and decreases; however, reduced glutathione (GSH) increased with treatments in both forms of application. The Se concentration in the seedlings increased as the dose of Se material increased, and greater accumulation was achieved with foliar application of SeNPs and SeMPs. The results indicate that the use of Se materials is recommended, mainly the use of SeMPs, which improved the variables studied. This opens new opportunities for further studies with SeMPs, as little information is available on their application in agricultural crops.

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