title: Selenium nutrition of green plants. Effect of selenite supply on growth and selenium content of alfalfa and subterranean clover.
abstract: Alfalfa and subterranean clover plants were grown in highly purified nutrient solutions to which selenite selenium had been added at 0, 0.025, 0.25, 2.5 or 25.0 mug-atoms/liter. In both species, yields of tops and roots were significantly less at 25.0 mug-atoms/liter than at lower selenium concentrations (p < 0.01). The results indicated that growth was adversely affected when the concentration of selenium in mature leaf tissue reached 0.2 to 0.8 mug-atom/g dry weight.No beneficial effect of selenium was demonstrated on the growth of either species. If selenium is required by these species, the critical level will probably be below 0.001 mug-atom/g of dry plant material. Results are discussed in relation to earlier work on the selenium nutrition of plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soils and Plant Nutrition, University of California, Berkeley.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Broyer
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Asher