"The prickly pear cactus may not sound like a trendy cash crop, but it could become a phenomenon among farmers on the arid west side of the San Joaquin Valley."

"The cactus can grow in the west-side's salty soils, drink briny water and live just fine in very dry times. But the real attraction: As it grows, the cactus slowly absorbs and cleans up a chemical villain in the soil -- selenium.

Selenium in irrigation drainage widely killed and maimed wildlife during the 1980s at Kesterson Reservoir on the Valley's west side. Before that, selenium was known only as an essential natural element in animals and people -- in small doses.

Then The Bee broke the story about mega-doses of selenium causing the disaster and suddenly, the New York Times and '60 Minutes' were on the case. West-side agriculture has been scrambling for a cleanup ever since."

Mark Grossi reports for the Fresno Bee January 30, 2012. [2]