EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZU.N. UKA, AND K.S. CHUKWUKAAbstract Urbanization and industrialization has brought about introduction of various pollutants that are injurious into the atmosphere. Therefore the present study was aimed at investigating the effects of air pollution on the morphological and physiological characteristics of Manihot esculenta. Leaf samples were collected from Sites 1 and 2 located in the stone crushing and rice processing industries respectively, while the Presco Campus of Ebonyi State University was chosen as the control (Site 3). Results established a decrease in leaf length, leaf breath, leaf area and petiole length in polluted Sites 1 and 2 when compared with the control. Results also showed that there were overall reduction (%) in total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, pH and percentage increase in the relative water content. Site 1 had APTI value of 12.53, Site 2 APTI value of 13.73, while control had APTI value of 13.53. In the present study, higher APTI in the polluted sites revealed that the Manihot esculenta crop is facing stress from pollution and as such something should be done to ameliorate the situation in order to increase food production and security as well as increase farmersÂ’ revenues in the area.
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