Irrigation Method Affects Selenium Accumulation in Forage Brassica Species

A greenhouse study was conducted in sand cultures to compare the effects of saline irrigation waters applied by two different methods, flooding and above-canopy sprinkling, on selenium (Se) accumulation by the forage brassicas, kale (Brassica oleracea L., cv. ‘‘Premier’’) and turnip (B. rapa L., cv. ‘‘Forage Star’’). The composition of the irrigation water was designed to simulate saline (7 dS m ) drainage effluent commonly encountered in the San Joaquin Valley of California, and being evaluated for reuse by irrigation of salt tolerant crops. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with two irrigation methods, two plant species (kale and turnip), four Se concentrations (0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 mg L 1 Se–SeO4 2 ), and three replications. Kale was generally a more efficient Se accumulator than turnip. Shoot Se concentrations in kale and turnip increased with increasing *Correspondence: Donald L. Suarez, USDA-ARS, George E. Brown Jr. Salinity Laboratory, 450 W. Big Springs Road, Riverside, CA 92507, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 191–201, 2003 DOI: 10.1081=PLN-120016504 0190-4167 (Print); 1532-4087 (Web) Copyright # 2003 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. www.dekker.com 191 ©2002 Marcel Dekker, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Marcel Dekker, Inc. MARCEL DEKKER, INC. • 270 MADISON AVENUE • NEW YORK, NY 10016 D ow nl oa de d by [ U ni ve rs ity o f C al if or ni a, R iv er si de L ib ra ri es ] at 1 5: 34 2 6 M ar ch 2 01 2 1794