Impact of Selenium-Biofortified Hydrogel Application on the Dynamics of Soil Microbial Activity in Agricultural Systems

• Grant number: 25/06767-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 26, 2025
• End date: September 25, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Soil and Water Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Ferrari Putti
• Grantee: Isabelli Natalia Fialho da Silva
• Supervisor: David Leonard Jones
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Engenharia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Tupã. Tupã , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Bangor University, Wales
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/15454-1 - Biofortification of bean crops with selenium using nanocomposite hydrogels, BP.IC

Abstract

The increasing demand for food, driven by population growth and climate change, demands innovative solutions to ensure food security and agricultural sustainability. Selenium-fortified hydrogels are one of such solution, as they can enhance soil water retention and provide essential nutrients to plants. This study aims to evaluate the impact of selenium-fortified hydrogels on soil respiration and microbial activity, aiming to understand how these hydrogels can improve water use efficiency, increase plant resistance to water stress, and contribute to agricultural sustainability in water-scarce regions. Soil samples (0 to 10cm depth) will be collected from a field experiment in the city of Tupã, in Brazil, and homogenized. Hydrogel, hydrogel with selenium, selenite and selenate were applied to this soil. From this, tests with labeled selenium will be carried out and a series of experiments will be conducted. Soil solutions will be extracted from 5g samples and analyzed for water content, organic carbon, nitrogen, pH, and electrical conductivity. Dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen will be measured using a Multi N/C 3100®¿ analyzer. Ammonium and nitrate will be determined colorimetrically. Microbial activity and metabolism will be tracked using radioisotope-labeled substrates. Data will be analyzed using ANOVA, and significant differences will be determined by LSD at p<0.05.