Dandan Yang: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Chengxiao Hu: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Xu Wang: Institute of Quality Standard and Monitoring Technology for Agro-product of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
Guangyu Shi: College of Environment Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
Yanfeng Li: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Yuchen Fei: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Yinran Song: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Xiaohu Zhao: College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University/Hubei Provincial, Engineering Laboratory for New-Type Fertilizer/Research Center of Trace Elements/Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Wuhan 430070, China.
Selenium (Se) is a component of many enzymes and indispensable for human health due to its characteristics of reducing oxidative stress and enhancing immunity. Human beings take Se mainly from Se-containing crops. Taking measures to biofortify crops with Se may lead to improved public health. Se accumulation in plants mainly depends on the content and bioavailability of Se in soil. Beneficial microbes may change the chemical form and bioavailability of Se. This review highlights the potential role of microbes in promoting Se uptake and accumulation in crops and the related mechanisms. The potential approaches of microbial enhancement of Se biofortification can be summarized in the following four aspects: (1) microbes alter soil properties and impact the redox chemistry of Se to improve the bioavailability of Se in soil; (2) beneficial microbes regulate root morphology and stimulate the development of plants through the release of certain secretions, facilitating Se uptake in plants; (3) microbes upregulate the expression of certain genes and proteins that are related to Se metabolism in plants; and (4) the inoculation of microbes give rise to the generation of certain metabolites in plants contributing to Se absorption. Considering the ecological safety and economic feasibility, microbial enhancement is a potential tool for Se biofortification. For further study, the recombination and establishment of synthesis microbes is of potential benefit in Se-enrichment agriculture.
