Effects of simulated acid rain on growth and yield of soybeans and pinto beans
In order to assess the degree of damage that acid rain has or might have on plants, experiments were performed to determine the change in seed yield of two agronomic crops, soybeans and pinto beans, after exposure to simulated rain of pH 5.7, 3.1, 2.9, 2.7, and 2.5. Moreover, the effects of simulated acid rain were determined on a variety of other experimental parameters to understand further how plants respond to this environmental stress. Simulated acid rain of pH 3.1 and below decreased the dry mass of seeds, leaves, and stems of pinto beans. On a percentage mass basis the decrease in seed yield was comparable to reductions in biomass of leaves and stems. The decrease in yield of pinto beans by simulated acid rain was attributed to both a (1) decrease in the number of pods per plant and (2) a decrease in the number of seeds per pod. In soybeans, simulated acid rain decreased the dry mass of both stems and leaves. Seed yield also decreased after treatment with rain of pH 2.5. However an increase in seed yield occurred when plants were exposed to rain of pH 3.1. A larger dry mass per seed was responsible for the larger dry mass of seed per plant.
- Research Organization:
- Manhattan Coll., New York (USA). Lab. for Plant Morphogenesis; Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-02-0016
- OSTI ID:
- 5793785
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-26971; CONF-791090-3
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Symposium on potential environmental and health effects of atmospheric sulfur deposition, Gatlinburg, TN, USA, 14 Oct 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
GLYCINE HISPIDA
PLANT GROWTH
PRODUCTIVITY
PHASEOLUS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROPS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INHIBITION
ISOLATED VALUES
PH VALUE
SEEDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
DATA
DATA FORMS
GROWTH
INFORMATION
LEGUMINOSAE
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
RAIN
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
553000 - Agriculture & Food Technology