Summary
This study by Rios et al. (2009), published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, examines the agronomic biofortification of brassica crops with selenium through fertilisation. Brassicas are recognised as moderate selenium accumulators and this work likely evaluates the potential to raise selenium concentrations in edible tissues to address dietary selenium deficiency in populations dependent on selenium-poor soils. The findings contribute to the evidence base for targeted selenium fertilisation as a practical strategy for improving the nutritional quality of vegetable crops.
UK applicability
The findings are directly relevant to the UK, where selenium intakes are recognised as suboptimal in a significant proportion of the population, partly due to low-selenium soils and reduced imports of high-selenium North American wheat. Brassica biofortification through selenium fertilisation offers a practicable route to improving dietary selenium supply via domestically grown vegetables.
Key measures
Selenium concentration in plant tissue (mg/kg dry weight); selenium application rate (g/ha); possibly biomass or yield data
Outcomes reported
The study investigated the uptake and accumulation of selenium in brassica species following soil or foliar selenium fertilisation, reporting selenium concentrations in plant tissue. It likely assessed the efficiency of different selenium application methods and doses in enhancing edible crop selenium content.
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