The combined impacts of selenium and phosphorus on the fate of arsenic in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.)

Although the single role of selenium (Se) or phosphorus (P) in regulating the As contamination of rice plants has been reported in some studies, the combined impacts of Se and P on the fate of As and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, the uptake, translocation, and biotransformation of As mediated by Se were investigated in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings hydroponically cultured with P-normal and P-deficient conditions. The results showed Se addition stimulated the uptake of arsenite and arsenate by 15.6% and 30.7%, respectively in P-normal condition, and such effect was more profound in P-deficient condition with the value of 43.8% and 70.8%. However, regardless of Se addition, P-deficiency elevated the As uptake by 47.0%–92.1% for arsenate but had no obvious effects for arsenite. Accompanying with the As transfer factorShoot/Root reduced by 74.5%–80.2% and 71.1%–85.7%, Se addition decreased the shoot As content by 65.8%–69.7% and 59.6%–73.1%, respectively, in the arsenite- and arsenate-treated rice plants. Relative to the corresponding treatments of P-normal condition, P-deficiency reduced the As transfer factorShoot/Root by 38.9%–52.5% and thus decreasing the shoot As content by 35.2%–42.5% in the arsenite-treated plants; while the opposite impacts were observed in the arsenate-treated plants, in which the shoot As content was increased by 22.4%–83.7%. The analysis results of As species showed As(III) was dominant in both shoots (68.9%–75.1%) and roots (94.9%–97.2%), and neither Se addition nor P-deficiency had obvious impacts on the interconversion between As(III) and As(V). Our results demonstrate the regulating roles of Se in As accumulation mainly depend on P regimes and the specific rice tissues, but the effects of P-deficiency on the fate of As were influenced by the form of As added to the culture. [Display omitted] •Se stimulated As uptake more efficiently in P-deficient than in P-normal condition.•Se reduced root-to-shoot As translocation and As fluorescence intensity in stems.•P-deficiency increased (decreased) As in iron plaque when treated without (with) Se.•P-deficiency decreased (increased) shoot As in the arsenite (arsenate)-treated rice.