Dear Sonika Kumari,

Unfortunately, the impact of air pollution on food crops is remarkably negative and is constantly growing. Because in many places characterized by a higher level of industrialization and in the vicinity of agglomerations or communication arteries used by vehicles mainly with combustion engines, contamination of agricultural crops is constantly increasing, including soil and surface and subcutaneous waters with various substances particularly dangerous for human and animal health from air pollution. The amount of harmful and carcinogenic heavy metals and chemical compounds arising during the combustion of minerals and waste is growing. The increase in environmental pollution, including air and water, reduces the possibilities of farming in the organic farming formula.

Greetings.

Dariusz Prokopowicz

@ Sonika, food crops can be injured when exposed to high concentrations of various air pollutants. Injury ranges from visible markings on crop leaves, to reduced growth and yield, sometimes to premature death. In case of animals, it may lead to infection as a result of eating polluted feed and water.

Tarafdar sir, thanks alot for your response.Please share in case having any related study .

Thank you Dariusz sir for your response .Can you please share any related study.

@ Sonika, the attached review paper may be useful to you.

Sonika Kumari Air pollution can reduce the yield of food crops. Please take a look at this article " Why air pollution reduces crop yields ". (Click on the chart to see the whole data)

Air pollution Basically will affect the quality of food crops. such as acid rain, even can kill the crop, and the too much of dust definitely decrease the biological activity of the crop, all of these actually will be the obstacle of being organic food.

The potent effects of air pollution on food crops include reduced biomass, loss in yield, reduced photosynthesis rate, formation of free radicals, leaf bronzing due to ROS induced cell death.

Different pollutants found in air affect the biochemical pathways to a greater extent.

At times wilting and premature leaf falling is more commonly observed.

There is a two way relationship between food production and air pollution: food production contributes significantly to air pollution; in turn, air pollution can impact food production. Agriculture is the single largest contributor of ammonia pollution as well as emitting other nitrogen compounds.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/01-015.htm

Air pollution can reduce the yield of food crops.please see the link.

https://www.unece.org/environmental-policy/conventions/envlrtapwelcome/cross-sectoral-linkages/air-pollution-and-food-production.html

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjf1pPn_oPpAhVZzDgGHWqJBNAQFjALegQIAxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsustainablefoodtrust.org%2Farticles%2Fthe-impact-of-air-pollution-on-crops%2F&usg=AOvVaw2WZkkog8ry-KsANWbZK1rK

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=15&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjf1pPn_oPpAhVZzDgGHWqJBNAQFjAOegQIBRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencedirect.com%2Fscience%2Farticle%2Fpii%2FS2095311917618148&usg=AOvVaw29sJtpLlqcrzHBijBuLJGG

Air pollution affect on plants in different ways. First of them dust particles settle on the leaves and fruits of the plants. These particles include different heavy metals like Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn,... which contribute negatively to the plants. Additionally, gases like SO2, NO, NO2 may react with the plant constitues (green part and fruit) and make harmfull effect on them.

Air dust also cover the leaf (the major photosynthetic zone) and reduces the yield due to limited photosynthesis.

Air pollution affect the crops by reduction in leaf area, biomass, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and nitrogen content.

The reduction of these contents directly affect the yield and growth of the crops.

food production contributes significantly to air pollution; in turn, air pollution can impact food production. Ozone was estimated to cause relative global crop losses for wheat 7-12%.

The Convention sets targets for various air pollutants that have direct or indirect effects on food production, such as for sulphur, nitrogen and emissions of ground-level ozone precursors (nitrogen oxides and non-methane volatile organic compounds). In various bodies under the Convention, several aspects of the complex interrelation between air pollution and food production are being considered. For example, the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops is assessing the impacts of air pollutants, particularly ground-level ozone, on crops.

Crops can be damaged when exposed to high concentration of many air pollutants. Air pollution will affect the yield of food crops, nutritional quality, photosynthesis rate.

Among the parameters of described to study air pollution is particulate matter, The particulate matter settle down on leafs and along with PM different metals are also settle down on leafs and affect the growth and developments of food crops and sometimes these metals may enter in food chain. The literature available shows that the production of these crops reduced in heavily areas as compared to less polluted areas.

I agree with Faheem Ahamad

Gaseous pollutants and oxidants can seriously injure the leaves of the plantation. They enter through stomata small openings which are important for the normal exchange of gases by leaves. The symptoms could be seen on the upper surface through dead spots on it. Air pollution specially oxidants can decrease the grapes, orange production by as much as 50-60%. It is quite obvious that acid rain can cause dangerous damage to the plants. Apart from this Ozone can also lead to loss and damage to cell membranes. Simplest air pollutants like PM can also damage the respiration process by getting accumulated on the surface of the leaves.

Read the report of IPCC

the deposition of certain substances on the leaves affects the development of the plant.

Have a look at the following attached document for insights.

Air pollution cut the yields of wheat and rice crops in half, according to a study from 2014 in India.

https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/the-impact-of-air-pollution-on-crops/

Please have a look at the link below:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/01-015.htm

Thank you so much @ Harasit Kumar Paul for sharing the information.

Dear Sonika Kumari, here is a very good document entitled, "A hidden threat to food production: Air pollution and agriculture in the developing world." Please have a look if not already gone through it.

There is a two way relationship between food production and air pollution: food production contributes significantly to air pollution; in turn, air pollution can impact food production. Agriculture is the single largest contributor of ammonia pollution as well as emitting other nitrogen compounds.

Thank you@ Kolita Weerasekera for your contribution.

Further to what I added earlier, Ozone has a damaging impact on plants. When O3 is absorbed via the pores on the leaf surface, it forms free radicals that attack cell membranes. This causes yellowing, cell injury, irregular spots, bronzing and reddening that affects the flowering and growth of crops, reducing their yield.

High deposition on leaves can inhibit photosynthesis process, while dry and wet deposition of metals and other toxin in air pollution also contributes in soil contamination and cause various negative effects on all types of vegetation and microbial community.

Presentation Integration of AirQ+ and particulate matter mass concentrati...