Bioassay for assessing the effect of sulfur dioxide on oat seedlings
A bioassay technique was developed to evaluate the effect of sulfur dioxide air pollution on the growth rates of oat seedlings. The system was designed to measure small changes in shoot length of seedlings in vivo by use of a millimeter rule. The data, subjected to appropriate statistical evaluation, lead to the conclusion that oat seedlings experienced subtle injury in the form of growth retardation during exposure to SO/sub 2/ at concentrations close to ambient levels. Recovery of the seedlings was relatively rapid and indirectly proportional to SO/sub 2/ concentration. However, recovery generally did not reach the rate of growth that existed prior to fumigation, indicating the possibility of permanent growth impairment or that the stationary phase of growth was being approached. Knowledge of subtle injury of vegetation as seen in this study could possibly lead to in vivo systems for the direct evaluation of air pollution effects on vegetation, help to expand knowledge in the areas of economic loss, or possibly aid in the selection of tolerant species as buffer zones in land use planning.
- OSTI ID:
- 5527276
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 30:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
OATS
PLANT GROWTH
SULFUR DIOXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
TOXICITY
BIOASSAY
AIR POLLUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LAND USE
PLANTS
SEEDLINGS
CEREALS
CHALCOGENIDES
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)