Smart Ways to Enrich Garlic with Selenium, Worth a Try for Growers

Garlic has many physiological effects that are beneficial to the human body. Eating garlic regularly can improve human immunity and prevent many diseases. These physiological effects of garlic are related to its relatively high selenium content. Therefore, how to further increase the selenium content of garlic is of great significance for improving the dietary therapeutic value of garlic, and it is also of notable significance for increasing the added value of garlic, boosting garlic exports, and raising farmers' incomes. This article introduces the production methods of selenium-enriched garlic to farmers for reference.

Generally speaking, with the increase of pH and the soil texture changing from coarse to fine, the available selenium content in soil gradually increases. At present, the average available selenium content in the soil of garlic-producing areas is 9.5 micrograms/kg, and the selenium supply of more than half of the soil is relatively low. Therefore, taking appropriate measures to supplement the soil selenium supply level is very necessary for producing selenium-enriched garlic.

The selenium fertilizer application methods commonly used in the production of selenium-enriched garlic mainly include three methods: foliar spraying, soil selenium application, and seed soaking. They are introduced separately below.

Spraying: One month before harvest, apply 500 grams of special selenium fertilizer per mu, evenly spraying it on the garlic leaves. Generally, the yield can be increased by about 10%, and the total selenium content of garlic increases from 0.072 mg/kg to 15 mg/kg, showing obvious selenium enrichment.

Soil fertilization: Before sowing garlic, apply 1500 grams of special selenium fertilizer per mu, combined with other base fertilizers, evenly applied in the sowing furrow. The total selenium content of garlic can be increased to 12 mg/kg.

Seed soaking: Soak the seeds with a special selenium fertilizer solution for 12 hours before sowing. The garlic yield generally increases by 10%, and the total selenium content of garlic increases to 3 mg/kg.

Precautions: The amount of selenium used must be controlled accurately. Too little will not achieve the selenium-enriching effect, while too much will produce toxic effects. When spraying and applying to the soil, it must be even. For spraying, choose before 9 a.m. on a sunny day or after 5 p.m. If it rains after spraying, spray again.