Effect of selenium fertilization on ureide metabolism and nutritional quality of cowpea beans

• Grant number: 19/09935-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: André Rodrigues dos Reis
• Grantee: Maria Gabriela Dantas Bereta Lanza
• Supervisor: Martin Roger Broadley
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Engenharia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Tupã. Tupã , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/15490-7 - Evaluation of ureide metabolism and nitrogen compounds in cowpea plants in response to selenium application and its relation to grain nutritional quality, BP.IC

Abstract

There are conclusive evidences of selenium (Se) deficiency in Brazilian soils, which can reflect on Se deficiency in humans and animals. Therefore, there is a need to increase the levels of Se in foods of Brazilian diet. The cowpea beans is the main protein source for the population living in the Northeast of Brazil. In addition, Se presents a great influence on nitrogen metabolism of plants, however, the biological nitrogen fixation by plants of cowpea beans is still little understood. The aim of this study is evaluate the ureide metabolism of cowpea beans plants in response to application of selenium in order to increase productivity and improve the nutritional quality of grain. For this, based on our previus experiment results (project FAPESP 2015/26817-9) a new field experiment was installed to evaluate the effect of Se on biological nitrogen fixation of cowpea plants in all phonological stage of development. Weekly collection of data on shoot and root plants, number of nodules, fresh and dry mass of nodules for determination of dry weight, nutrients, ureides, nitrogenous compounds (aminoacids, nitrate, ammonia), total sugars and sucrose until the end of the cycle of culture were collect. Biochemical and nutrient analysis will be performed at University of Nottingham under Supervisor of Prof. Martin Broadley. The expected result of this work is to identify the phenological phase of the maximum accumulation plant of Se to establish a more appropriate time of application of the fertilizer containing Se. (AU)