Selenium accumulation by plants

Selenium is not required by plants, but is an essential mineral element for animal nutrition. In excess, it can be harmful to both plants and animals. Selenium concentrations in vegetation can vary widely, depending upon both selenium phytoavailability in the soil and plant genotype.

Selene. Photo by Alun Salt.

White presents a comprehensive, contemporary review of selenium accumulation by plants. He first identifies genes catalysing selenium transport and metabolism in plants, before describing recent insights into the evolution of plants that hyperaccumulate selenium, genetic variation in selenium concentrations in edible crops, and transgenic approaches to the phytoremediation of land contaminated by selenium.