Exploring the effects of selenium treatment on the nutritional quality of tomato fruit

In this work, the effects of selenium (Se) on the nutritional quality of tomato fruit were investigated. The results showed that application of 1 mg L−1 sodium selenate foliar spray increased Se content in the fruit without affecting other concentrations of other metals. Se treatment elevated the contents of soluble sugars (glucose and fructose), amino acids, and bioactive compounds, such as flavanoids, glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E, in pink tomato fruit. Proteomic analysis using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification was performed on tomato fruit at the commercial harvest stage. When comparing Se-enriched tomato fruit with the control group, we identified an aggregate of 269 differentially expressed proteins. Proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acids metabolism, and secondary metabolism were highly affected by Se treatment. The results help elucidate the mechanism of Se treatment on improved nutritional quality of tomato fruit.