Two field experiments were carried out on a private farm at Sidi Barrani, Marsa Matrouh Governorate during two successive seasons of (2011/2012 and 2012/2013) to study the integrated effect of organic manure (farm yard manure, FYM) as an organic soil amendment and selenium on wheat yield (variety Giza 168) and grain quality. Farm yard manure (FYM) was applied at three rates of 0, 2 and 4 ton fed-1, while selenium was added at the rates of 0, 5,15 and 25 g fed-1. The main plots were occupied with the applied FYM rates, mean while the added selenium rates were arranged among the sub-plots, and then each treatment was replicated three times. The plot area was 18 m2 (3 × 6 m).
The obtained results showed that the applied different FYM and selenium rates exhibited a significantly ameliorated for each of the studied wheat plant parameters (i.e., plant height, No and length of spike, kernels number and weight) and harvest stages (i.e., biological yield of grain plus straw yields and their contents of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and Se) as well as grain quality (i.e., 1000 grain weight, grain contents of protein, carbohydrates and sugar fractions).
From the economical point of view, the results of this study showed that the integrated effect of the combined treatment of (4 ton FYM/fed+15g selenium/fed) was recorded best values for all the aforementioned plant parameters, taking into consideration the possible adverse fears of human health through environmental risks as a result of the excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers and selenium.