Harmful Effect of Ambient Ozone on Phenotype, Growth and Productivity of Vicia Faba, and Pisum Sativum in Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

(Ibrahim bin Ayed Muhaisin and Mohammed bin Nasser Yemen)

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Abstract

Ozone (O3) is one of the most phytotoxic pollutants with deleterious effects on living and nonliving components of Ecosystems. It reduces growth and yield of many crops as well as alters the physiology and crop quality. The present study described series of experiments to investigate the effects of different ambient levels of O3 depending at different locations with proximity to pollutant source and ranged between 17 ppb/h in control experiment to 112 ppb/h in industrial area, respectively. The ambient levels in three locations (King Saud University botanical garden, King Fahd Rd, and Almanakh Garden) were 61, 61, 77 ppb/h respectively. Two legume crop species (vicia vaba L; and Pisum sativum) differ in their phenology and sensitivity were used. The results showed a significant negative effect for ozone on morphology, number of injured leaves, growth and productivity with a difference in the degree of response depending on the plant type. Visia faba showed sensitivity to ozone for leaf number, leaf area and the degree of injury leaves 3. Pisum sativum showed higher sensitivity for the gas for degree of injury 1 along with the relative growth rate and seed weight. It turns out that there is no significant difference between the two plants in plant height and number of seeds. Key Words: growth, Legumes, Ozone, Productivity, Resistance, Riyadh.
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