Summary
This field trial tracked the fate of a single, realistic selenium biofortification application (10 g ha⁻¹) to winter wheat using stable isotope labelling (77Se) across three contrasting soils over two growing seasons. The work demonstrates that whilst topsoil retained 15–31% of applied Se at harvest, the retained Se became fixed in soil with negligible uptake by subsequent crops, indicating low bioavailability despite long-term soil accumulation. The findings suggest that prolonged biofortification leads to soil Se accumulation on a centuries-long timescale, but that cereal straw reincorporation could provide a residual Se source for following crops under appropriate management.
UK applicability
The study was conducted on UK soils at the University of Nottingham and directly reflects conditions and management practices applicable to UK wheat production. The findings are directly relevant to assessing the feasibility and sustainability of Se biofortification strategies in UK arable farming, particularly regarding soil-applied interventions and crop residue management.
Key measures
Topsoil Se retention (15–31% at harvest); subsoil retention (2–4%); Se losses (37–43%); ICP-MS quantification of 77Se in soil and crop fractions; estimated timeframe for soil Se accumulation (approximately 500 years to double baseline content)
Outcomes reported
The study quantified retention of applied selenium (77Se isotope) in soil and wheat crops over two growing seasons across three contrasting soil types. It measured the proportion of labelled Se remaining in topsoil, subsoil, and crop fractions, and assessed bioavailability of retained soil Se to subsequent crops.
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