Xiaoling Zhang , Chuanzhang Fan , Xiaohua Zhou , Shan Xu , Zuoxin Tang , Yu Zhong , Haiying Wang

Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, Yunan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Plant Breeding, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 6   doi: 10.5376/mpb.2024.15.0031
Received: 03 Oct., 2024    Accepted: 16 Nov., 2024    Published: 17 Dec., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Zhang X.L., Fan C.Z., Zhou X.H., Xu S., Tang Z.X., Zhong Y., and Wang H.Y., 2024, Study on the role of selenium in enhancing stress resistance and quality improvement of strawberries, Molecular Plant Breeding, 15(6): 328-339 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2024.15.0031)

Strawberries are widely favored for their high nutritional value and economic benefits, but their yield and quality are often constrained by various environmental stresses. This study explores the mechanisms by which selenium alleviates salt stress, heavy metal pollution, and drought stress in strawberries, including enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity, optimizing water use efficiency, and maintaining cell membrane stability to improve stress tolerance. The results demonstrate that selenium application promotes strawberry growth and development under extreme conditions, enhances fruit quality, and boosts market competitiveness. Moreover, selenium biofortification effectively increases the content of functional compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols in strawberry fruits, significantly improving sugar-acid balance and flavor characteristics. However, further research is needed to optimize selenium application, focusing on dosage, safety, and synergistic interactions with other nutrients for practical agricultural promotion. This study provides critical insights for the development of selenium-enriched strawberry varieties and sustainable agricultural practices.

Strawberries; Selenium; Biofortification; Stress tolerance; Fruit quality; Sustainable agriculture