The material for this study consisted of 60 soil samples collected from the arable layer of cultivated fields located in the vicinity of Wrocław. The samples varied in their properties and reflected a whole range of soil types to be found in the region of Lower Silesia. The examinations proved that selenium content in arable soils near Wroclaw ranged from 81 to 449 μg kg-1 and the average value of Se content in these soils was 202 μg kg-1. The lowest Se content appeared in sandy soils (174 μg kg-1), while the highest value was found in loamy soils. The mean value of Se content calculated for this group of soils was 228 μg kg-1. Selenium content in soils varied to a high degree (V=42%). The value lower than 100 μg kg-1, assumed as a critical one for the quality of plant yield, was recorded for 4 samples, while in 33 soil samples the Se content fell in the range of 101-200 μg kg-1 and in 14 samples it ranged from 201 to 300 μg kg-1. Only 9 soils out of these subjected to investigation characterized selenium value higher than 300 μg kg-1, i.e. the value regarded as medium soil fertility. Se content in soils was highly correlated with their content of silt and clay, as well as colloidal parts and also with the amount of C and total content of such chemical elements as P, S, Fe, Cu, Zn and Ni.