Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124727
Title: THE EFFECT OF SOIL PH ON NI ACCUMULATION BY ALYSSUM

Author
item KUKIER, URSZULA - VA TECH INST, BLACKSBURG
item PETERS, CARRINE - UMD, COLLEGE PARK, MD
item Chaney, Rufus
item ANGLE, J - UMD, COLLEGE PARK, MD
item ROSEBERG, RICHARD - OR STATE UNIV, MEDFORD
item BREWER, ERIC - UMD, COLLEGE PARK, MD
item LI, YIN-MING - VIRIDIAN RESOURCES, LLC

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/5/2002
Publication Date: 11/9/2002
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil pH is a key factor in availability of soil Ni to crop plants, and was presumed to be important to hyperaccumulator plants as well. There were no previous reports on the effect of soil pH on Ni accumulation by hyperaccumulator species. Alyssum murale and Alyssum corsicum were grown in the mineral and organic soils contaminated by particulate emissions from a Ni-refinery and a Brockman serpentine soil naturally rich in Ni. The pH of soils was adjusted to cover a broad range from acidic to alkaline. Neutral salt and DTPA extractable Ni in all soils decreased with increase in soil pH indicating that "plant available" Ni was decreased by liming. Agricultural crops grown on these soils had decreased shoot Ni concentrations with increase in soil pH. In contrast, nickel concentrations in the shoots of A. corsicum and A. murale grown in the Ni-contaminated soils was increased with increase in soil pH. This remarkable feature distinguishes Alyssum from other species. Both Alyssum species grown in the serpentine soil had decreased Ni concentrations in shoots with increased pH. Effect of soil pH on Ni accumulation by plants is species specific and the shoot Ni-pH relationship is also modified by other soil properties.