On the possibility of biofortification agricultural crops with iodine, selenium and other beneficial elements using water-soluble derivatives of fullerenes

This study is devoted to the search for and substantiation of methods and means of enriching the plants’ production with microelements that are vital for humans – selenium and iodine, which is due to the acute problem of deficiency of these elements in various countries in the world. Assessing the possibility of using water-soluble amino acid derivatives of fullerenes for agronomic biofortification of plants is an innovative area of research. Experimental research work was carried out at the agrobiopolygon of the Agrophysical Research Institute under controlled conditions of intensive artificial-light culture. It has been established that amino acid derivatives of fullerene C60-L-Gly (0,0001%), C60-L-Arg (0,0001%) or C60-L-Met (0,0001%) in certain concentration compositions with potassium iodide (0,001%) or sodium selenate (0,0001%) are capable of exhibiting high efficiency in enriching the plants’ production with iodine or selenium during foliar treatment of plants leaf lettuce and pepper. Moreover, the specified fullerene derivatives completely neutralize the negative effects of potassium iodide or sodium selenate on the plants physiological state, their growth and crop formation, exhibiting antioxidant properties and stimulating metabolic processes in plants. For the first time, using lettuce as an example, it has been established that the observed positive effects of fullerene derivative C60-L-Arg (0,0001%) are observed in a range of potassium iodide concentrations up to 0,01% mg/L. It was shown that, in addition to iodine and selenium, lettuce leaves and peppers were enriched with a number of other beneficial elements, that are deficient for people in many regions of their residence. Moreover, agronomical biofortification of lettuce or pepper plants with the assessed amino acid derivatives of C60 in the composition of mixed solutions with potassium iodide or sodium selenate allows for a reduction in the daily consumption volumes of these vegetables by 1,2–3,1 times to achieve the required daily dose of iodine or selenium in the body of an adult. Further research into the mechanisms of interaction between fullerene derivatives and deficient micronutrients and plants will enable the creation of highly effective and safe preparations and methods for their use for humans and the environment.