PJB-2023-39
Effects of Radiation Pollution on Urban Garden Crops
Ayesha Alam
Abstract
Amid a rapid increase in population and urbanization, there has been tremendous impoundment of gaseous and radiation pollution (Ozone & UV radiations) in the environment as a result of climate change that is widely affecting the biotic components of the biosphere. In recent studies, plants have been used as bioindicators to assess the impacts of such ecological pollutions including crops, urban landscaping, and wild plantation. Kitchen gardening plants are common practice among local inhabitants of Pakistan under the availability of fertile soil and ample rainfall. These plants are commonly grown outside the houses in the compounds, lawns, and backyard gardens and are consumed in daily diet. The following study was conducted on six of the commonly grown kitchen garden plants to estimate the growth performance and nutrient concentrations under ozone and UV radiation stress. Plants heights (Ozone: 31% ↓- UV: 57% ↓), root lengths/ dry weights (Ozone: 21% ↓- UV: 33% ↓), Leaf area (Ozone: 41 % ↓- UV: 63 % ↓), and Polar diameter (Ozone: 34% ↓- UV: 45% ↓), were negatively affected under exposure to the ozone and UV as compared to the control, while the shoot biomass weights remained insignificantly different among all three treatments. The nutrients profile of the plants remained exhibited standard values, however, few plant species exhibited higher mineral concentrations under ozone exposure showing the involvement of ozone for elevated nutrient acquisition. This study shows a negative impact of prolonged exposure to ozone and UV on plant growth that might compromise the plant yield and a slightly positive impact on the nutrient profile of the plants. UV exposure induced 99% flowering in the plants as compared to the ozone and control group. There is a need to investigate the impact of ozone and UV on the nutrient acquisition of plants as a future directive.
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