Growth effects in tropical nickel‐agromining ‘metal crops' in response to nutrient dosing

• DOI: 10.1002/jpln.201800468
• Publication Date: 2019-06-17T18:27:16Z
• Authors: Philip Nti Nkrumah; Guillaume Echevarria; Peter D. Erskine; Rufus L. Chaney; Sukaibin Sumail; Antony van der Ent
• Keywords: 580; 0106 biological sciences; 2. Zero hunger; [SDE.IE]Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering; Soil Science; Plant Science; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; hyperaccumulator plant; Nickel; 1110 Plant Science; [SDE.IE] Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering; 1111 Soil Science; Bioremediation

Abstract Agromining is an emerging technology that utilizes selected ‘metal crops' (= hyperaccumulator plants) to extract valuable target metals from unconventional resources for profit mineralised soils. Growth characteristics, shoot metal concentrations, and agrominable locations are important considerations in economic agromining. Globally, the greatest potential nickel (Ni) agromining exists tropics. However, agronomic systems of tropical have not been previously tested. Furthermore, it currently unknown whether nutrient dosing prospective Ni crops’ could possibly cause a Ni‐dilution effect which may ultimately limit economically viable yields. We undertook pioneering study on uptake growth responses two promising ( Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi Rinorea cf. bengalensis ). The experiment consisted large randomised block trial pots over 12 months Sabah (Malaysia). At 3‐month intervals, plants were exposed soluble treatments altered available concentrations nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K). found strong positive N P additions P. , whereas K had negative effects. In R . all increases biomass response did significantly reduce both species, with exception addition This reveals species‐dependent, primarily influenced by ecophysiology species. Inorganic fertilization be component management local used commercial tropics, but this needs tested field different formulations N, P, K.