Investigating the Impacts of Ambient Air Quality of an Industrial Region on a Member of Asteraceae and Its Potentials as a Phytomonitor

The highly industrialized and densely populated city of Tarapur provides ideal conditions for the study of the effects of urban stresses on plants. The foliar surface of plants is an important receptor of atmospheric pollutants hence it is very crucial to select suitable plant species for urban environment. Tithonia diversifolia a member of Asteraceae was exposed to five different sites during the dry season of 2011. The transplants were exposed for thirty days. The above grounds phytomass dry weight, shoot length, total chlorophyll content and dust fall were recorded. The readings were compared with a control which was a relatively clean area. The decrease in all the parameters was observed when compared to control. There was a marked seasonal variation in all the parameters. Shoot length and chlorophyll content are more reliable parameters for air quality indication and in identifying Tithonia diversifolia as important indicator species. Urban air quality affects the health of humans, animals, and plants equally. Hence it becomes necessary to monitor the air quality for taking the abatement measures and understanding the effect of air pollutants on living organisms.