Variation in nickel accumulation in organs of Alyssum murale from serpentine site of Albania.

Environmetal factors, such as climate and chemical land composition, are a primary force in shaping the distribution of plant species. While many plant species can be found growing in a variety of habitats, some species become entirely restricted to a particular soil type. Serpentine soils, that constitute 10% of the Albanian surface, provide one of the most remarkable examples of plant adaptation to atypical soils. Albania has a very rich nickel hyperaccumulatorflora which could serve as candidates to be used in phytoextraction and phytomining. Phenological studies give contribution for obtaining adequate information on the way to the appropriate time of collection of the hyperaccumulator plants. The metal accumulation amounts vary based on the plant organs, and as well as by the stages of its biological cycle. During our work we observed the variation in nickel absorption in the organs of Alyssum murale in a typical Albanian Vertisols; Prrenjas. Samples of soils and plants were collected during the flowering period of A. murale plant. In serpentine soils of Prrenjas the available nickel was 24 mg kg-1. Depending on climate, macronutrient and heavy metals in soils the heavy metal concentration in steams, leaves and flowers in Prrenjas samples of A. murale were respectively 4666, 15855, 12302 mg kg-1 Leaf and flower were the plant organs with the highest concentration of nickel. So this population is promising for the phytomining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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