Responses to the Interaction of Selenium and Zinc Through Foliar Fertilization in Processed Grains of Brazilian Upland Rice Genotypes

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a crucial crop for biofortification that is widely consumed and is cultivated in soils with low levels of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). The study evaluated how upland rice genotypes can increase Se and Zn in grains with foliar fertilization and analyzed the impact on agronomic characteristics and protein and amino acid contents. Experiments in Lambari and Lavras used a 5 × 4 factorial design with five genotypes (BRS Esmeralda, CMG 2188, CMG ERF 221-16, CMG ERF 221-19, CMG ERF 85-15) and four treatments (control, without Se; 5.22 g Se ha−1; 1.42 kg Zn ha−1; and combined Zn+Se) with three replicates. The study showed that CMG ERF 85-15, with Se fertilization, increased grain yield in Lambari. In Lavras, adding Zn to CMG 2188 and CMG ERF 85-15 improved grain yield. In Lambari, most variables were grouped with Zn+Se, except grain yield and free amino acids in the grain. In Lavras, variables associated with Se, proteins, free amino acids in the polished grain, hulling in whole and polished grain, and milling yield were grouped under the treatment Zn+Se. We recommend the genotype CMG ERF 85-15 based on the results for foliar biofortification with Zn+Se.