Effect of industrial pollutants on Physiology of Cajanus cajan (L.) – Fabaceae

The present study was carried at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India to reveal the effect of pollutants releasing from an industry on physiology of Cajanus cajan (L.), a pulse yielding crop of Fabaceae. The total chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid, relative water content and P ^H of the leaf extract was measured following the standard methods. On basis of them the Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) of the crop was calculated for two leaf samples, one collected from polluted field of industrial area and another from a nearby unpolluted village field. The study revealed an increase in APTI of the leaves collected from polluted site. The percentage increase in APTI was 13.14. This indicates the tolerance capacity of the crop to a polluted smoke releasing from the industry and the crop may be recommended to the farmers of urban area for their economic growth.