Improving the nickel phytomining capacity of hyperaccumulating subspecies of alyssum serpyllifolium

The extreme ability of nickel-hyperaccumulators (such as members of the genera Alyssum or Noccaea) to accumulate Ni in their harvestable tissues makes these plants particularly useful in phytomining strategies. Phytomining offers the opportunity to recover valuable metals, such as Ni, from hyperaccumulator biomass. However, to be economically viable it is necessary to maximise the Ni uptake efficiency of hyperaccumulators and the nickel yield. Plant breeding of improved accumulating plant cultivars, the use of agronomic practices or biotechnological approaches can all significantly enhance plant productivity and nickel removal. Here we present the results of a series of bench scale studies in which different strategies were implemented to enhance the biomass production or the Ni concentration in the harvested biomass of such hyperaccumulating plant species.