Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
Online Published on 31 August, 2022.
History of mankind has witnessed transformation in form of industrialization, urbanization and motorized transport in the past. These all had made the life easier for human but these also led to increase in level of pollutants in the atmosphere. These pollutants have cascading impact on agriculture. The impact of some of the major pollutants such as SO2, NOx and ozone is in the form of production of ROS, reduced photosynthesis and energy metabolism. The aerosol and particulate matter pollution also leads to reduced transpiration which raises the canopy temperature and also disturbs the water and nutrient uptake by the crop plants. To date most of the pollution related studies, especially in developing countries, are restricted to its impact on urban areas and human health. It is needed to extend these studies to impact of air pollution on agriculture. In this paper we have discussed the various mechanisms through which the pollutants act on the crop plants and their impact on yield.
Pollution is emerging as a major abiotic stress for crop plants.
Lower levels of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are utilized by plants.
Major pollutants lead to the production of Reactive Oxygen species (ROS) and reduction of photosynthesis.
Combination of pollutants is more toxic to plants than individual concentration.
Industrialization, Urbanization, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Photosynthesis, Metabolism, Aerosols, Particulate matter, Nutrient uptake, Canopy temperature, Developing countries
