Arricchimento in selenio di turioni di asparago verde (Asparagus officinalis L.): risultati preliminari in Capitanata

Selenuim is essential for humans health, nevertheless in most EU countries its suboptimal dietary intake occurs. Vegetal foods biofortification trought Se-fertilizers application, is a strategy for improving selenium intakes. Two trials were carried out in 2006 and 2007, where asparagus ferns (cv Grande) were treated with Na2SeO4 solutions (0, 50 and 100 g ha-1 of Se). Soil Se content was 0.26 ±0,01 mg kg-1. Neither phytotoxicity symptoms, nor spears yield decreases (9 and 9.8 t ha-1 in 2007 and 2008, respectively) were observed. In both trials, spears Se level increased in Se-treated compared to control plants (7.0 vs 2.3 μg 100 g-1 of fresh weight); a 3-fold increase in Se level on dry mass basis was observed, too