Effects of simulated sulfuric acid rain on yield, growth, and foliar injury of several crops

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6560198· OSTI ID:6560198

Lee, J. J.; Neely, G. E.; Perrigan, S. C.; Grothaus, L. C.

This study was designed to reveal patterns of response of major United States crops to sulfuric acid rain. Potted plants were grown in field chambers and exposed to simulated sulfuric acid rain (pH 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0) or to a control rain (pH 5.6). At harvest, the weights of the marketable portion, total aboveground portion and roots were determined for 28 crops. Of these, marketable yield production was inhibited for 5 crops (radish, beet, carrot, mustard greens, broccoli), stimulated for 6 crops (tomato, green pepper, strawberry, alfalfa, orchardgrass, timothy), and ambiguously affected for 1 crop (potato). In addition, stem and leaf production of sweet corn was stimulated. Visible injury of tomatoes might have decreased their marketability. No statistically significant effects on yield were observed for the other 15 crops. The results suggest that the likelihood of yield being affected by acid rain depends on the part of the plant utilized, as well as on species. Effects on the aboveground portions of crops and on roots are also presented. Plants were regularly examined for foliar injury associated with acid rain. Of the 35 cultivars examined, the foliage of 31 was injured at pH 3.0, 28 at pH 3.5, and 5 at pH 4.0. Foliar injury was not generally related to effects on yield. However, foilar injury of swiss chard, mustard greens and spinach was severe enough to adversely affect marketability.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (USA). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6560198
• Report Number(s): PB-82-126285; EPA-600/J-81-401; ON: DE83901556
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ALFALFA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BEETS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BRASSICA
CARROTS
CEREALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CROPS
DEPOSITION
ECONOMIC IMPACT
FOLIAR UPTAKE
FOOD
FRUITS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INJURIES
INORGANIC ACIDS
LEAVES
LEGUMINOSAE
MAIZE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEPPERS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POTATOES
RADISHES
RAIN
ROOTS
SIMULATION
SPINACH
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID
TOMATOES
TUBERS
UPTAKE
VEGETABLES
YIELDS