Impact of selenium on mitochondrial activity in young Tartary buckwheat plants

To investigate the impact of Se on Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) plants, the plant foliage was sprayed with 10 mg Se(VI) L−1 at the beginning of flowering. The Se was effectively assimilated by the plants and taken into the seeds, where its concentration was more than double that in untreated plants. The seeds were collected and sown to obtain the progeny of these Se-treated plants. To assess the physiological characteristics of control plants and these Se-treated progeny plants, the estimated respiratory potential via electron transport system (ETS) activity and the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II were measured. Three weeks after germination, the Se-treated progeny plants showed higher ETS activity compared to the controls. Through weeks 4 and 5, this high ETS activity approximately halved, and the difference in ETS activity seen at 3 weeks was lost. On the other hand, at week 4, the potential photochemical efficiency was higher in the Se-treated progeny plants than the controls. In adult plants, the leaves dry mass was significantly greater in the Se-treated progeny plants than the controls. This study demonstrates an impact of Se in Tartary buckwheat on the progeny plants of Se sprayed plants, as shown previously in pea plants.