Natural enrichment of selenium in Saskatchewan field peas (Pisum sativum L.).

Abstract

Pulses are important dietary sources of selenium (Se). Supplying needed Se through widely used foods such as pulses and cereals could increase dietary Se intake. We analyzed the total Se concentration of 17 field pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars grown at six locations for 2 yr in Saskatchewan. A significant effect of location was identified, with the highest Se concentration in pea seeds grown in the Saskatoon region and the lowest concentration in the Melfort region. The effect of crop year was not significant. Significant genotypic differences in total Se concentration among the 17 field pea cultivars were not observed in the combined analysis. Total Se concentrations over six locations × 2 yr ranged from 373 to 519 µg kg-1, corresponding to 68-94% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults based on a 100 g serving of dry field peas. Saskatchewan soils are derived from marine shale and are rich in Se, and pulses grown in Saskatchewan have the potential to provide an excellent natural source of this element. Key words: Selenium, field pea, biofortification