Effect of Selenium and Sulfur Interaction on the Glucosinolate Content and Antioxidant Activity of Sprouts of Chinese Cabbage

In order to explore the effect of selenium-sulfur interaction on the glucosinolate content and antioxidant properties of Chinese cabbage sprouts, the seeds were sprayed with 4 mmol/L ZnSO₄, 50 or 100 μmol/L Na₂SeO₃ or their combination during sprouting and the changes in the major physiological and biochemical indexes, antioxidant capacity and glucosinolates content of Chinese cabbage sprouts were analyzed. The results showed that the application of ZnSO₄ alone caused growth stress on Chinese cabbage sprouts, while the application of Na₂SeO₃ alone increase the length and fresh mass of sprouts per plant. The combined application of Na₂SeO₃ and ZnSO₄ could effectively alleviate the inhibitory effect of ZnSO₄ on the growth and development of Chinese cabbage sprouts. Moreover, compared with the control group (deionized water), ZnSO₄ combined with Na₂SeO₃ significantly increased total selenium content and the contents of total glucosinolates (P < 0.05), and the combined application of ZnSO₄ and 50 μmol/L Na₂SeO₃ resulted in an approximate 50% increase in the total content of glucosinolates. The contents of total selenium and total glucosinolates were significantly higher on the sixth day than on the fourth day of sprouting. The results of the study provide data support for the production of functional Chinese cabbage sprouts rich in selenium and glucosinolates.