Effect of air pollution on peri-urban agriculture: a case study

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 126; no. 3; pp. 323 - 329
• Main Authors: Agrawal, M, Singh, B, Rajput, M, Marshall, F, Bell, J.N.B
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Beta radiation; Beta vulgaris; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Brasses; Brassica; Brassica campestris; Crop plants; Crops; Crops, Agricultural; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fabaceae; Foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Impact; India; Nitrogen Dioxide - analysis; Non agrochemicals pollutants; Ozone - analysis; Peri-urban agriculture; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plants (organisms); Pollutants; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; Sulfur Dioxide - analysis; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Triticum; Triticum aestivum; Urbanization; Vigna radiata; Yield; Asia; India; India, Varanasi; India, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi; Impact; Air pollution; Yield; Biomass; Crop plants; India; Peri-urban agriculture; Monocotyledones; Vigna radiata; Beta vulgaris; Chenopodiaceae; Leguminosae; Cruciferae; Gramineae; Brassica campestris; Dicotyledones; Environment impact; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Agriculture; Cultivated plant; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(03)00245-8

Peri-urban agriculture is vital for the urban populations of many developing countries. Increases in both industrialization and urbanization, and associated air pollution threaten urban food production and its quality. Six hour mean concentrations were monitored for SO 2, NO 2 and O 3 and plant responses were measured in terms of physiological characteristics, pigment, biomass and yield. Parameter reductions in mung bean ( Vigna radiata), palak ( Beta vulgaris), wheat ( Triticum aestivum) and mustard ( Brassica compestris) grown within the urban fringes of Varanasi, India correlated directly with the gaseous pollutants levels. The magnitude of response involved all three gaseous pollutants at peri-urban sites; O 3 had more influence at a rural site. The study concluded that air pollution in Varanasi could negatively influence crop yield. Urban air pollution has a negative impact on peri-urban agriculture.