Agronomic biofortification with selenium (Se) maybe employed to improve the nutritional value of food crops while increasing the plant’s tolerance to water deficit conditions. Although not essential for plants, Se may increase plant tolerance to water stress by boosting plants’ defence system activity. This study aimed to enrich common bean grains with Se and alleviate water deficit effects on common bean by applying Se to plants growing under greenhouse. Selenium was applied to soil at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg kg^–1, under irrigated and water-deficit conditions. Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and APX), H₂O₂ content, gas exchange, and SPAD index were assessed in plant leaves, and Se and nutrient concentrations were determined in grains. Results showed that water deficit decreased photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and increased water use efficiency. Selenium did not influence SPAD index in leaves from pod formation to maturity stage but improved the plant defence system by decreasing H₂O₂ content. Increasing Se rates increased Se concentration in grains and leaves. At lower Se rates, mainly at 0.25 mg Se kg^–1, under water deficit, the activities of SOD, CAT, and APX reached their maximum values, and H₂O₂ content was minimum without reducing biomass production and nutrients accumulation. The highest Se rate (2 mg kg^–1) was detrimental, since it decreased biomass production and the plant defence system under water deficit. Conclusively, soil Se addition enriched common bean plants with Se and showed positive responses against water deficit when applied at lower rates.

可以采用硒 (Se) 进行农艺生物强化来提高粮食作物的营养价值，同时提高植物对缺水条件的耐受性。虽然对植物不是必需的，但硒可以通过增强植物的防御系统活动来增加植物对水分胁迫的耐受性。本研究旨在通过将硒应用于温室下生长的植物，使普通豆粒富含硒并减轻对普通豆的水分亏缺影响。在灌溉和缺水条件下，将硒以 0、0.25、0.5、1.0 和 2.0 mg kg ^{–1 的}浓度施用于土壤。抗氧化酶活性（SOD、CAT 和 APX）、H ₂ O ₂在植物叶片中评估了硒含量、气体交换和 SPAD 指数，并在谷物中测定了硒和养分浓度。结果表明，缺水会降低光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率，并提高水分利用效率。从豆荚形成到成熟阶段，硒对叶片的SPAD指数没有影响，但通过降低H ₂ O ₂含量来改善植物防御系统。增加硒率增加了谷物和叶子中的硒浓度。在较低的 Se 比率下，主要是在 0.25 mg Se kg ^{–1 时}，在缺水条件下，SOD、CAT 和 APX 的活性达到最大值，而 H ₂ O ₂在不减少生物量生产和养分积累的情况下，含量最低。最高的硒率 (2 mg kg ^–1 ) 是有害的，因为它会降低生物量生产和缺水情况下的植物防御系统。最后，土壤硒添加使普通豆类植物富含硒，并且在以较低的比例施用时对水分亏缺表现出积极的反应。