INFLUENCE OF SOIL PARENT MATERIAL ON THE SELENIUM CONTENT OF WHEAT FROM WEST-CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN

Abstract

Selenium concentrations in whole wheat plants from the Rosetown–Outlook area of west-central Saskatchewan were highest when grown over lacustrine clay and glacial till (median values 2.18 and 1.50 ppm, respectively), intermediate in plants grown on lacustrine silt (median 1.08 ppm) and lowest for wheat grown on aeolian sand (median 0.64 ppm). A similar trend characterized C horizon soil, with highest selenium values (median 0.37 ppm) associated with lacustrine clay and lowest levels (median 0.12 ppm) with aeolian sand. These data suggest that total soil parent material selenium concentrations influence, at least to some extent, selenium concentrations in wheat plants. Furthermore, they indicate that soil parent material maps could form a suitable sampling base for designing rapid plant sampling programs to outline areas where selenium excess or deficiency problems are most likely to occur.