MINERAL COMPOSITION OF LONICERA CAERULEA PHYTOMASS IN CONTRASTING GEOCHEMICAL ENVI-RONMENTS

Abstract

To study mineral composition of honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea L.) phytomass in contrasting geochemical environments, the accumulation of macro- and trace elements, as related to their soil content in undisturbed Mountainous Altai ecosystems, was determined in organs of the Altai subspecies of honeyberry, growing in the geochemically anomalous environment on ultrabasic rocks and in the geochemically normal environment. Total chemical element content in soil and plants was determined by atomic emission spectrometry, while labile forms of К, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Li, Sr were measured by atomic adsorption spectrometry. Organ distribution and variation limits were determined for 30 macro- and trace elements. Leaves were shown to accumulate Sr, Ni, Mo, B, Ga, La and Zr more intensively in comparison with stems, while the latter accumulated more intensively Al, Cu, Mn and Zn. Plants grown on ultrabasic rocks had decreased Ca, K, Fe and Sr contents and increased Mg and Ni contents as compared with plants growing on acidic, carbonated and basic rocks. Decreased rate of K, Ca and Sr uptake by honeysuckle plants was most likely due to the mineral exchange distortion because of soil Ca/Mg ratio, which was unfavourable for plants. Leaves of plants growing on the ultrabasic rocks were shown to accumulate Ni in high concentrations. Increased Fe accumulation was found in leaves of plants growing on basic rocks, while stems had increased Fe concentrations in all study sites. The obtained results should be carefully considered for the purposed of phytomass collection and preparation for medicinal use.