A Comprehensive Review on Balancing Selenium's Toxicity and Therapeutic Potential Through Biofortification-An Attempt Towards Understanding How to Handle a Double-Edged Sword in a Gunfight.

The current agricultural system faces the critical challenge of providing sustenance to the global population. There is a deep concern about the huge food demand and security driven by the burgeoning global population. Further, urbanization and modernization lead to a significant reduction in arable land, subsequently hindering crop production. This situation is further strangled as agriculture is highly vulnerable to several abiotic and biotic stresses. Paradoxically, excessive chemical fertilizer usage leads to soil infertility and micronutrient deficiencies and impacts human health. Selenium (Se), an essential micronutrient, plays a crucial role in human health and its deficiency can result in adverse health effects. While the necessity of Se in plants remains ambiguous, optimal levels can yield beneficial effects. The bioavailable Se content in the naturally occurring food source is limited. Since plants are the primary food source for animals and humans, enhancing the Se content through biofortification offers a viable solution. Agronomic approach demonstrates considerable promising results, particularly the use of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and microbial biofortification utilizing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). In conclusion, this review emphasizes the holistic framework of Se utilization and management of excess levels to develop a resilient and nutritionally balanced food to address hidden hunger, i.e., gunfight.