Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Improve Selenium and Cobalt Biofortification in Snap Bean

Abstract

Although selenium (Se) and cobalt (Co) are important trace elements in humans, their consumption from food remains generally inadequate throughout the world. Therefore, Se and Co biofortification is a common method for increasing selenium and cobalt intake and maintaining human health. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization show many roles, remarkably enhanced plant nutrition uptake, growth and yield, and abiotic stress resistance. Such roles can be employed to biofortify snap bean with Se or Co and improve plant growth and yield. A field experiment was carried out during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons at the Experimental Vegetable Farm of the Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. The study was carried out to investigate the effects of Se and Co foliar application and AMF inoculation on the growth, yield, and quality of snap bean plants grown in a clay soil. Results showed that the interaction between the mycorrhizal inoculation and foliar application of selenium at 10 µM or cobalt at 100 µM led to improvements in all vegetative growth parameters, SPAD readings, minerals content, and yield components and produced snap bean pods biofortified with selenium or cobalt in both growing seasons. In conclusion, AMF can be utilized to enhance Se and Co biofortification during the production of snap bean.