AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE AND PERFORMANCE INDEX OF VARIOUS PLANT SPECIES AROUND NAUNI-SOLAN STATE HIGHWAY IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2016
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Air pollution and performance index of various plant species around Nauni-Solan State Highway in Himachal Pradesh” was conducted during 2015-2016 in the Department of Environmental Science, College of Forestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni Solan H.P. Study aimed at understanding the seasonal variation in the biochemical parameters and determining the indices of Air pollution tolerance and Anticipated performance along with dust accumulation capacity of plants growing around the State Highway. Based on the survey a stretch of 15km from Nauni to Solan was selected. In the selected stretch of the road vegetation distribution was studied by using quadrat method. The commonly occurring six plant species namely Toona ciliata, Pinus roxburghii, Grewia optiva, Celtis australis, Jacaranda mimosifolia and Pistacia integerrima were selected for the study. In order to study the impact of vehicular activities on the plants, the horizontal distances of 0-5m and 5-10m were selected from both sides of the road . Two sesaons viz post-monsoon (October-November) and pre-monsoon (April-May) were considered. In total there were 24 treatment combinations which were replicated thrice under RBD factorial. In the selected species chlorophyll content and leaf abstract pH varies from 0.56-2.26 mgg-1 and 3.99-6.93 respectively which increased with increasing distance from the highway. Whereas relative water content and ascorbic acid decreased with increasing distance from the road with respective values 54.72-80.87% and 1.33-4.06 mgg-1 . The dust accumulation of the selected plant species ranged from 5 -59 mg m -2. Order of selected plant species according to the dust accumulation was Jacaranda mimosifolia (59 mg m -2 ) > Toona ciliate (42mg m-2) > Grewia optiva (17 mg m-2) > Pistacia integerrima (7 mg m-2 )> Celtis australis (5mg m2). The APTI of selected plant species varied from 6.79-10.40. The trend of APTI of the selected plant species was Toona ciliata (10.40) > Pinus roxburghii (9.92) > Pistacia integerrima (9.01) > Celtis australis (8.31) > Jacaranda mimosifolia (6.97) > Grewia optiva (6.79).The highest APTI was noticed in post monsoon season followed by pre monsoon season. The selected plant species growing at a horizontal distance of 0-5m were observed to have higher APTI as compared to those at 5-10m. The relatively higher APTI value of Toona ciliata as compared to other species indicated its tolerance to pollution in Nauni-Solan State Highway. The assessment of the API with respect to the selected plant species was observed to lie in the range poor to excellent. The Variation in the biochemical, physiological and tolerance level of the selected plant species growing alongside the State Highway indicated that vehicular pollution emitted on the roads have started impacting the vegetation growing alongside the road. However, Toona ciliata have shown its adaptability to the stress caused by the pollution. Hence, Toona cliata with higher tolerance and anticipated performance index can be suggested for plantations alongside the State Highway so as to intercept the air pollutants which act as health hazards to the people of the region.
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