Assessment of Morphological Damages of Leaves of Selected Plant Species due to Vehicular Air Pollution, Kolkata, India

Abstract

The present study deals to know morphological damages of leaves of four selected plant species near roadside due to vehicular air pollution in Kolkata, India. The selected plant species are Ficus bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Alstonia scholaris and Neolamarckia cadamba as these are very common as avenue trees. The study area was selected as per Low vehicular load (LVL) as control area, moderate vehicular load (MVL) area, high vehicular load (HVL) area and heavy vehicular load (HeVL) These three sampling stations were selected on the basis of moderate, high and heavy traffic density and continuous vehicular movement as per visualization. The control area was considered as time dependent vehicular movement due to less traffic density. The morphological damages with special reference to length (L), breadth (B) and L/B ratio and visible injuries in leaves. The visible injuries such as pigmentation, chlorosis, necrosis and burning of leaves of four selected species is documented. There was an increasing and decreasing tends in all four plant species at all three vehicular emission exposed sites (MVL, HVL and HeVL) compared to control site (LVL). In all experimental sites such as MVL, HVL and HeVL, the extra growth and reduction pattern significantly (P < 0.001, 0.01 or 0.05) observed when compared to control site (LVL) for L, B and L/B ratio. The visible injuries (in %) of leaves were also observed in increasing trends. This study is a preliminary assessment of tolerant species that already have been used in greenbelt development to protect air pollutants as well as biological monitoring to know exact load of automobile air pollution but further researches are needed in relation to biochemical and genetic damage study. It was observed that out of four selected species Ficus bengalensis, Alstonia scholaris and Neolamarckia cadamba are more tolerant species and Ficus religiosa is a less tolerant species because of these may have fighting abilities by waxy coatings, accumulation and degradation abilities to vehicular air pollution at all exposed area when compared to control area.

Pollution Assessment Based on Element Concentration of Tree Leaves and Topsoil in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

“…Nandy et al [ 47 ] noted that Ficus bengalensis, Alstonia scholaris, and Neolamarckia cadamba species are tolerant to air pollution, while F. religiosa is sensitive to air pollution. Trees with thin leaves such as F. religiosa can receive less particles due to their leaf position.…”

Biomonitoring with Special Reference to Visible Damages in Different Plant Species due to Air Pollution - A Review

“…SO 2 , NO 2 and secondary pollutant O 3 and their effects on agricultural crops and avenue trees (Nandy et al, 2014). Air pollutants can produce a wide range of visible symptoms (acute injury) on crops, vegetables and trees.…”

“…Nandy et al (2014) have also studied the adverse effects mainly morphological damages viz. L (Length), B (Breadth) and L/B ratio was found significantly increasing and decreasing trends and visible injuries such as necrosis, chlorosis, pigmentation and burning were observed in an increasing as well as decreasing trends by automobile air pollution in four selected common roadside plant species such as Ficus bengalensis, Alstonia scholaris, Neolamarckia cadamba and Ficus religiosa, which may be the effects of individual and/or combination of air pollutants.…”

Physiochemical Alterations and Air Pollution Tolerance Index in Ficus religiosa L. Planted Along Polluted Roadsides of Lahore City

“…For Example NO2 produce low level ozone when they react with hydrocarbons, low level ozone (O3) reduces lung function and trigger asthma [8]. Along with this CO reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen which causes respiratory problems and headache Continuous interaction to these air pollutants can results allergies, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality in human beings [9]. Vehicular air pollutants in plants results in foliar damages in sensitive species and less in tolerant species, stunted growth, visible leaf injuries, early fall of buds, reduced photosynthesis, and impaired physiology [10].…”