Plant availability of soil selenate additions and selenium distribution within wheat and ryegrass

Abstract

Selenate fertilization is an effective way to secure selenium (Se) nutrition in Se-poor areas but the cycling of the added selenate in the soil-plant system requires further clarification. We examined the Se uptake efficiency of wheat and ryegrass and Se distribution within these plants in two pot experiments. The behaviour of added selenate in a sand soil under wheat was monitored by sequential extractions during a ten-week growing period. In addition, the relationship between Se uptake of ryegrass and the salt extractable and ligand exchangeable Se in a sand and silty clay soil were studied. The added selenate remained mainly salt soluble in the soil throughout the monitoring. Se uptake by wheat comprised 12% of the soluble Se pool in soil and extended over the whole period of growth. In wheat, over 50% of Se accumulated in grains. The Se uptake of ryegrass comprised, on average, 40% of the soil salt soluble Se. In ryegrass, over 80% of the Se accumulated in roots. The distribution pattern of Se in plants can clearly have a major influence on both the Se cycle in soil and the nutritional efficiency of Se fertilization. The simple salt extraction showed fertilization-induced changes in the soluble soil Se pool, whereas the ligand exchangeable Se fraction reflected the difference in the nonlabile Se status between the two soils.