Biomonitoring of air pollution in a seasonally dry tropical suburban area using wheat transplants.
Air pollution has been identified as a serious problem throughout the world which causes tremendous loss to the crops by affecting plant growth and yield. Earlier, air pollution was restricted to urban and industrial regions. Over the last few decades, however, it has become evident that pollutants can be transported over long distances and hence their impact may be felt widely over rural areas. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of urban air pollution on suburban agriculture with respect to the changes in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, water-use efficiency, plant height, numbers of tillers, leaves, ears and seeds, chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, phenol, ascorbic acid, nitrogen and sulphate-sulphur contents and seed weight of pot-grown wheat plants (Triticum aestivum var. HUW 468) kept at different sites around Varanasi city receiving varying levels of pollution load. Mean concentrations of SO2, NO2 and O3 were monitored. The study clearly showed that plants are negatively affected by the ambient levels of air pollutants. Reduction in various parameters directly corresponded with the air pollution levels at different sites.
Rajput
Madhu
M
Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Agrawal
Madhoolika
M
D000383:Agriculture; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000032:analysis*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014329:Tropical Climate
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide
Methods Biochem Anal. 1954;1:27-52
13193524
Environ Pollut. 1995;87(2):197-205
15091594
Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1958 Jun;19(3):251-7
13559143
Environ Pollut. 1990;66(2):179-91
15092246
Environ Pollut. 1995;88(2):147-54
15091554
Environ Pollut. 1989;59(4):337-44
15092401
Environ Pollut. 1988;53(1-4):99-121
15092544
Environ Sci Technol. 1973 Nov 1;7(11):1056-9
22263951
Environ Pollut. 2003;126(3):323-9
12963293
J Biol Chem. 1991 Feb 5;266(4):2005-8
1989966
J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265-75
14907713
Environ Pollut. 1991;69(2-3):151-68
15092158
Environ Exp Bot. 2001 Aug;46(1):81-91
11378175
Methods Enzymol. 1990;186:485-502
2233315