Biofortification of apples with Selenium

23.04.2020 – AGLUKON is participating successfully in the research and development project “BiofortiSe”, developing a technology to increase the selenium content in apples using WUXAL products. Selenium is an essential micro element in human nutrition that is often only insufficiently absorbed with food. In the human body, Selenium contributes to a normal function of the immune system.

In Germany and many other regions of the world, Selenium contents in the soil are often too low to reach sufficient Selenium concentrations in the cultivated crops that are needed to reach the recommended amounts for human uptake.

Through foliar application of a newly developed WUXAL Formulation that is enriched with a highly bioavailable Selenium source, the Selenium content in apple fruits could be elevated significantly in the project. The mineral is stored naturally in the fruit and exceed the official limit after the European Commission that is required to claim health benefits on humans. As a result, the Selenium in the apples that were applied with WUXAL can officially be declared as a Selenium source that contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

The Selenium fertilization with WUXAL has increased the selenium content per apple from about 1 μg to 16 μg. About 50 % of the mineral is accumulated in the peel. One of those apples cover about 30% of the selenium requirement of an adult human being.

In plants, Selenium is not an essential element like in humans, but it brings up various beneficial effects on resistance and quality. In the project “BiofortSe” these effects could be verified after the applications of the Selenium enriched WUXAL Formulation. As a conclusion the following overall effects can be summarized:
 

The new product behind this project is WUXAL Ascofol CaSe. This formulation is a highly concentrated natural seaweed suspension extracted from the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum with calcium, boron and selenium. The composition is similar to the well-established WUXAL Ascofol Ca but fortified with a highly bioavailable Selenium source. This allows a convenient incorporation in the existing spray programs.

The product development has been finished but trails on the application scheme are ongoing. Furthermore, a German spin-off company from the project was founded to further develop a complete program for correct in-field use. Learn more about WUXAL Ascofol CaSe on myWUXAL.com:
 

BiofortSe is a research and development project in cooperation with the University of applied Science Osnabrück and other partners. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.