Biochemical effects of air pollutants on plants

Abstract

Urbanization and industrialization processes contribute significant amount of various air pollutants such as SO2, NO2, CO, particulate matter, etc. These pollutants affect plant health and emit various forms of SO2, NOx, and O3 which may act in combination of a variety of ways: additive, synergistic, and antagonistic. These pollutants can have a deleterious effect on a variety of biochemical and physiological processes and on the structural organization within the cells. Certain plant species are very sensitive to these pollutants resulting in well visible and measurable symptoms. Morphological damage is generally visible through lesions on the leaves, flowers, and fruits while biochemical and physiological changes which are invisible can be measured and quantified. In this chapter, biochemical effects on plants have been described. These symptoms can be used as indicators of air pollution stress for its early diagnosis and can be used as markers for a particular physiological disorder.