LAUSR

Abstract Arsenic (As) disrupts the biological functions of plants by inhibiting their developmental process. Selenium (Se) is a beneficial plant micronutrient when it is administered at the optimal doses. The present study investigated the possible mediatory role of selenite (Se(IV)) or selenate (Se(VI)) in arsenite (As(III)) or arsenate (As(V)) uptake by rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.). Simultaneous exposure of rice seedlings to As(III) (5 µM) and Se(IV) (5 µM) increased the root As content after ≥30 h. The maximum increase in root As level (42.2%) was measured after 150 h. At the same time, the shoot As level decreased by 46.4% as the root-to-shoot As translocation rate declined. In contrast, Se(VI) supplementation caused the As content to decrease by 48.8% and 16.1% after 150 h in the roots and shoots, respectively. Nevertheless, when the As exposure duration was