Proceedings : twenty years of selenium fertilization, September 8-9, 2005, Helsinki, Finland

With the workshop theme "Twenty years of selenium fertilization" the organizers wanted to summarize the 20-year research period of Finnish selenium supplemented fertilization and bring togehter people interested in selenium. The main areas of the program and proceedings are: selenium fertilization, selenium in foods and diets and selenium and health. The proceedings include 13 short papers written by the speakers, and 26 abstracts of poster presentations

Monitoring programme of Finnish arable land : agua regia extractable trace elements in cultivated soils in 1998

The main aim of this study was to produce internationally comparable knowledge on the status of cultivated soils in Finland. From the soil material collected during the latest sampling process under the national monitoring programme in 1998, 338 samples were selected for this investigation. The sampling sites were situated evenly over the whole cultivated area in Finland. Samples taken as four sub-samples from the plough layer were analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) using aqua regia extraction according to an international standard method (ISO 11466). General statistical indicators of the analytical results of trace element concentrations are presented by soil type groups and by plant cultivation zones. Distributions of the results into the concentration classes are shown graphically and geographical distributions of the trace element concentrations are presented on the thematic maps

Luomuruuastakin saa seleeniä

Monipuolinen ruokavalio takaa riittävän seleeninsaannin myös luomutuotteita käyttäville väestöryhmille. Seleeniä saadaan maito- ja lihatuotteista, kananmunista ja kalasta. Seleeni on tärkeä hivenaine niin ihmiselle kuin eläimillekin.vo

Oil, protein, chlorophyll, cadmium and lead contents of seeds in oil and fiber flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) cultivars and in oil hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivar Finola cultivated in south-western part of Finland

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Trace elements in rye - comparison of organic and conventional cultivation

The trials included comparison of four rye cultivars grown in organic and conventional farming systems at three locations during 1999-2002

Contents of trichothecenes in oats during official variety, organic cultivation and nitrogen fertilization trials in Finland

Natural toxins, such as mycotoxins, have emerged as a significant factor affecting the safety image of cereal grains as a raw material for the food and feed industry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the contents of trichothecenes in representative samples of oats during official variety, nitrogen fertilization and organic farming trials in Finland, 1997–1999. Further objectives were to promote industry and commerce by selection of high-quality oat varieties for various applications. The official variety trials conducted at 8–10 locations were managed following standard protocol. There were 2 types of agronomy trial, the first included comparison of oat cultivars grown in conventional and organic farming systems at 6 locations, and the second used 5 nitrogen rates (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha-1) at 2 locations. Regardless of wet cold summer occurring in Finland during 1998, the concentrations of Fusarium toxins were lowest during this 3 year monitoring period. More mycotoxins were produced during the warm, dry summers of 1997 and 1999 than in 1998. In all, 55% of the oat samples in the official variety trials contained deoxynivalenol (DON) within the range of 50– 896 µ g kg-1. The differences in DON concentrations between organic and conventional cultivation were small. The results showed also that the use of various nitrogen fertilization levels only slightly affected the trichothecene concentrations. The contents of trichothecenes in Finnish grains appeared to be similar to or lower than those reported earlier in the Northern Hemisphere

Selenium content of Finnish oats in 1997-1999: effect of cultivars and cultivation techniques

Se-supplemented fertilization is the main factor affecting the selenium (Se) contents of cereals in Finland. Soil and climatic conditions determine the activity of selenate added to soils and bioavailability to plants. In the present study the Se contents and its variation in Finnish oats, the differences between oat cultivars and cultivation techniques were examined. The selenium (Se) contents of oats (Avena sativa L.) in Finland were examined during 1997-1999 in 3 types of trial: official variety, organic cultivation variety and organic vs. conventional cultivation trials. Farm samples were also examined. The mean Se contents of oats in official variety trials were 0.110, 0.120 and 0.160 mg kg-1 dry weight (dw) range 0.016-0.460 mg kg-1dw in 1997-1999, respectively. The mean Se contents in farm samples were 0.050 and 0.130 mg kg-1dw in 1998 and 1999, ranging between < 0.010 and 0.330 mg kg-1 dw. Considerable regional and seasonal variations existed. The Se contents of oats were significantly higher in 1999 probably due to the combined effect of not increased fertilizer level (from 6 to 10 mg Se kg-1 fertilizer) and very low precipitation in 1999. The Se contents of oats were significantly lower in organic cultivation, due to the absence of Se-supplemented fertilization. Significant (P < 0.001) cultivar differences were detected in official variety trials. The cultivars Veli and Leila showed higher levels of Se

Oikeat lajikkeet ja harkittu viljelytekniikka takaavat kauran terveysominaisuudet

Pohjoismaisen kauran laatu tunnustetaan maailman parhaaksi. Suomalaisen kauran valttina on vaaleus ja korkea laatu. Kauraa on käytetty pääasiassa rehuksi elintarvikekäytön ollessa vähäistä. Laadukasta suomalaista kauraa on viety elintarvikkeeksi ja rehuksi sekä USA:han että EU:n alueelle. Kauralla on merkitystä myös terveystuotteena, sillä Yhdysvaltain elintarvike- ja lääkevirasto (FDA) on hyväksynyt kauran terveysväittämän. Sen mukaan runsaasti kauralesettä ja/tai kaurahiutaleita sisältävä vähärasvainen ja -kolesterolinen ruokavalio voi alentaa sydäntautiriskiä. Kauran laatua on tutkittu vuonna 1998 alkaneessa kolmivuotisessa maa- ja metsätalousministeriön ja teollisuuden rahoittamassa projektissa "Kauraraaka-aineen laadunohjausjärjestelmä". Tavoitteena on selvittää kauran monipuolista ravitsemuksellista laatua ja siihen vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Lisäksi etsitään kauralajikkeita, viljelytekniikoita ja -oloja, jotka tuottavat teollisuuden käyttöön ravitsemuksellisesti ja teknologisesti parhaiten soveltuvaa laadukasta kauraa. Kauran viljelyoloja seuraamalla pyritään hallitsemaan riskitekijät, kuten mykotoksiinit ja kadmium, jotta kaura täyttää raaka-aineena elintarviketurvallisuuden ja viennin laatuvaatimukset. Tutkimuksen huipentumana on rakentaa kertyneen viljelypaikka- ja laatutiedon sekä säätietojen perusteella kauraraaka-aineen laadunohjausjärjestelmä.VokKV

Luomurukiin seleenit vähissä

Luomuviljelyyn kannattaa valita riittävän talvenkestävä lajike. Lajikkeiden kemiallisessa laadussa ei ole suurempia eroja viljelyjärjestelmien välillä. Hivenaineista seleenin pitoisuudessa on eniten eroja. Luomuruis sisältää selvästi vähemmän seleeniä kuin tavanomaisesti viljelty ruis.vo

ß-Glucan contents of groats of different oat cultivars in official variety, in organic cultivation, and in nitrogen fertilization trials in Finland

ß-Glucan is a beneficial chemical compound in the diet of humans by decreasing the levels of serum cholesterol and blood glucose. The ß-glucan contents of oat groats were studied in official variety trials (1997-1999), nitrogen fertilization trials (1997-1999) and organic variety trials (1997-1998) in Finland. Eight cultivars were studied in the organic variety trials. Two of them, cultivars Puhti and Veli, were cultivated also with a conventional method at the same fields. The years 1997 and 1999 were very warm and dry and 1998 very cool and rainy. The effects of year and cultivar on ß-glucan content were significant in all three trial series. The Kolbu oat cultivar had a significantly lower ß- glucan content than other cultivars in all trials. N fertilization did not increase the ß-glucan contents of oats in Finland. The effect of cultivation method (traditional vr organic cultivation) had no significant effect on the ß-glucan content. The year x cultivar interaction significantly affected the ß-glucan contents of oat groats in N fertilization trials. The reaction of different cultivars to weather conditions was different. Kolbu oat cultivar had significantly lower ß-glucan contents in 1998 than in warm years in all three trial series