Effect of sulphur dioxide on growth, chlorophylland sulphur contents of pomegranate

Abstract

The direct toxic effect of atmospheric pollutant such as sulphur dioxide on plants has been well documented. It is essentially a potent phytotoxic gas and its toxicity to plant is manifested in typical chronic or acute foliar symptom injury. The mode and extent of damage caused by this pollutant to pomegranate has not been precisely and systematically studied. Under such circumstances, the present investigation was undertaken under simulating condition to find out the possible extent of adaptability of pomegranate in SO2 emission of our state. The effect of varying levels of sulphur dioxide (0.25, 0.5 and 1.0ppm) fumigated for 1, 2 and 3h under simulated conditions on pomegranate revealed that the important traits like leaf number, leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight and chlorophyll content in leaves were adversely affected by SO2 level. SO2 1.0ppm with 3h exposure found to be more harmful. However, no significant variation was seen amongst the treatments in respect of tissue fresh and dry weight when compared with that of control (ambient SO2). On the other hand, sulphur content in tissues increase progressively with increasing levels of SO2 and time of fumigation and the variation observed within treatments was significant to each other. It is suggested that the lowest concentration of SO2 (0.25 ppm) used in this study is more than sufficient to bring about a significant changes in most of the parameters studied.