ASSESSMENT OF AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE INDEX OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS OF MID HILL REGION IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2021-11
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Assessment of air pollution tolerance index of medicinal
and aromatic plants of mid hill region in Himachal Pradesh’’was conducted in the Department of
Environmental Science, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.)
during 2020-2021. The study aimed at determining the air pollution tolerance along with anticipated
performance index of medicinal and aromatic plants. The commonly occurring thirty medicinal and
aromatic plants comprised of seventeen herbs, six shrubs, three climbers and four trees in mid hill
region of Himachal Pradesh were selected for the study. It was found that all the herbs, shrubs and
trees under study behaved similar, whereas significant variation was observed in climbers for the
APTI. The highest APTI was recorded in Spilanthes acmella (10.40); Murraya koenigii (7.735);
Tinospora cordifolia (8.530) and Terminalia arjuna (5.770) with respect to herbs, shrubs, climbers and
trees. The anticipated performance index of the selected medicinal and aromatic plants ranged from
very poor to very good. Among the herbs, Spilanthes acmella with the highest tolerance index and
Cymbopogon citratus with very good and Acorus calamus and Valeriana jatamansi with good
performance score and among the shrubs, Murraya koenigii with the highest tolerance index and Vitex
negundo with a moderate performance score and among the climbers, Tinospora cordifolia with the
highest tolerance index and moderate performance score and among the trees, Terminalia arjuna with
the highest tolerance index and moderate performance score can be suggested for plantations to
manage the harmful effect of air pollution in the mid hill region of Himachal Pradesh.