Abstract
Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of sodium selenate (Na(2)SeO(4)) and sodium selenite (Na(2)SeO(3)) on durum wheat seed germination and seedling growth under salt stress. The treatments used were 0 and 50 mM NaCl solutions, each supplemented with Na(2)SeO(4) or Na(2)SeO(3) at 0, 0.1, 1, 2, 4, 8, or 10 μM. Salt alone significantly inhibited seed germination and reduced seedling growth. Addition of low concentrations (0.1-4 μM) of Na(2)SeO(4) or Na(2)SeO(3) mitigated the adverse effects of salt stress on seed germination, biomass accumulation, and other physiological attributes. Among them, 1 μM Na(2)SeO(4) was most effective at restoring seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index, significantly increasing these parameters by about 12.35, 24.17, and 11.42%, respectively, compared to salt-stress conditions. Adding low concentrations of Na(2)SeO(4) or Na(2)SeO(3) to the salt solution also had positive effects on chlorophyll fluorescence indices, decreased the concentrations of free proline and malondialdehyde, as well as electrolyte leakage, and increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase activities in roots and shoots. However, high concentrations (8-10 μM) of Na(2)SeO(4) or Na(2)SeO(3) disrupted seed germination and seedling growth, with damage caused by Na(2)SeO(3) being more severe than that by Na(2)SeO(4). It is thus clear that exogenous selenium can improve the adaptability of processing wheat to salt stress and maintain higher photosynthetic rate by decreasing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and alleviating the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation. Na(2)SeO(4) was more effective than Na(2)SeO(3) at all given concentrations.