Effects of different application methods of selenite and selenate on selenium distribution within wheat

Abstract

The objective of this sand culture experiment was to determine how fertilization methods (i.e., fertigation rates of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg Se·pot−1, foliar rates of 5, 10, and 20 mg Se· L−1) and fertilizer type (i.e., selenate or selenite) affected wheat Se concentrations. The results showed that the fertigation and foliar treatments both increased wheat Se content. In the fertigation and foliar treatment total Se content of wheat was greatest in the selenate treatments. In the fertigation treatment, the Selenite had mainly accumulated in the roots, while the Selenate was majority transported to shoot. In the foliar treatment, we found that most of Se was transported to grain. In addition, the organic Se concentration was the most than other Se fractions. In conclusion, selenate was more effective than selenite in both the fertigated and the foliar application treatments. And the foliar application was better than fertigation.