BIOFORTIFICATION: A SUSTAINABLE AGRONOMIC STRATEGY TO INCREASE SELENIUM CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN GARLIC

The process of breeding to enhance nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, in food crops through biofortification is a sustainable, eco-friendly and powerful strategy to overcome micronutrient deficiency. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to increase selenium content in edible parts of garlic (Allium sativum L.) supplied with either 20g/ha or 50g/ha aqueous solution of anhydrous sodium selenate. This was done either through foliar spray or soil flood application under open-field conditions. Results indicated that the 50g/ha concentration of sodium selenate application in the form of foliar spray significantly enhanced the selenium content in garlic bulb (3.230.16mgSe/Kg) and vegetative part (15.460.71mgSe/Kg) that is, a 12.52 and 7.8 fold increase was observed respectively, as compared to control. A significant increase in total phenolic content (4.721.79GAE/100g), total flavonoid content (18.501.82 mgQE/100g) and total antioxidant capacity (IC50 of 0.81mg/ml determined through DPPH radical scavenging assay) was also observed in the bulbous part of garlic. The results suggested that the consumption of 16g of dried garlic bulb, biofortified with 50g Se/ha, could cover the daily recommended dose of selenium for human beings. Selenium biofortified garlic crop can hold a market value as selenium functional food and can be used as an alternative to synthetic selenium supplements to overcome selenium deficiency.