.1. Collection of research materials
Experimental soil: Bulk soil sample was collected from a
nonseleniferous site located at Punjab Agricultural University
Research Farm, air-dried in shade, ground to pass
through 2 mm sieve and stored in a clean and dry place.
The soil was characterized by following analytical procedures
as described by Page et al. (1982). It was sandy
loam in texture having pH 7.4, electrical conductivity
0.2 dS m1
, organic carbon 0.36%, available P 7.7 kg ha1
,
available K 89.6 kg ha1 and total Se content 182 lg kg1
.
Seleniferous plant materials: Samples of Se-rich wheat
(Triticum aestivum L.) shoots at ear initiation and raya
(Brassica juncea L. Czern) at peak flowering stage were collected
from a phytoremediation experiment on naturally
occurring seleniferous soils in village Jainpur of Nawanshehar
district of Indian Punjab. Plant samples were washed
free of dirt/dust particles and other contaminants, dried
in an oven at 50 ± 5 C, ground to fine powder and stored
in plastic containers.
2.2