Summary
This review, published in Agriculture & Food Security (2016), examines the geochemical and agronomic factors governing selenium distribution in soils and its uptake into food crops. It likely synthesises evidence on the global prevalence of selenium-deficient soils, the chemical forms of selenium influencing plant bioavailability, and agronomic interventions such as selenium biofortification to address deficiencies in human diets. The paper appears to contextualise selenium status within broader food security concerns, noting that selenium deficiency affects a significant proportion of the global population.
UK applicability
The UK is recognised as a low-selenium country, with soils generally deficient in plant-available selenium, and dietary intakes below recommended levels in many population groups. The agronomic and policy insights from this review are therefore directly applicable to UK arable systems and the ongoing debate around selenium biofortification of crops such as wheat.
Key measures
Soil selenium concentration (mg/kg); crop selenium uptake (mg/kg dry weight); dietary selenium intake (µg/day); selenium bioavailability indicators
Outcomes reported
The paper likely reviews selenium (Se) concentrations in soils and food crops, examining the bioavailability of soil Se to plants and the consequent implications for dietary selenium intake and food security. It probably addresses both Se-deficient and Se-toxic regions and the agronomic strategies to manage Se levels in crops.
Topic tags
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