Evaluation of air pollution tolerance index and anticipated performance index of selected roadside tree species in Ludhiana, India.

ABSTRACT

Air quality has deteriorated in most big cities and becoming the fifth major cause of mortality in India. Among others, vehicle gaseous emission is a major contributor. Plants have different tolerance levels, which can be identified based on Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). The objectives were to study the morphological and biochemical parameters for Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) of selected roadside tree species (Acacia auriculiformis, Alstonia scholaris, Chukrasia tabularis, Cassia fistula, Cassia siamea, Dalbergia sissoo, Heterophragma adenophyllum, and Putranjiva roxburghii) at control (PAU campus) and polluted sites (roadside) during summer and winter seasons. The total chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid, leaf extract pH, leaf relative water content, total soluble sugar, phenols, and carotenoids ranged from 0.59 to 4.16 mg g-1, 1.03 to 3.75 mg g-1, 3.16 to 7.04, 46.01 to 71.65%, 10.78 to 23.83 mg g-1, 0.51 to 1.35 mg -1, and 0.19 to 1.96 mg g-1, respectively. The Air Pollution Tolerance Index of the selected trees ranged between7.65 and 11.19 and followed an order of Cassia fistula > Acacia auriculiformis > Dalbergia sissoo > Alstonia scholaris > Putranjiva roxburghii > Heterophragma adenophyllum > Cassia siamea > Chukrasia tabularis. The evaluation of Anticipated Performance Index (API) categorized the trees into poor (Dalbergia sissoo and Cassia siamea), moderate (Cassia fistula), and good (Acacia auriculiformis, Alstonia scholaris, Chukrasia tabularis, Heterophragma adenophyllum, and Putranjiva roxburghii) categories.