AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE INDEX: AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR IDENTIFICATION OF ECO-INDICATOR PLANTS SPECIES IN THREE STRATIFICATIONS DURING MONSOON SEASONARNAB KUMAR MANNA, PARTHA TALUKDAR AND SOUMENDRA NATH TALAPATRAAbstract The present study was to detect morphology, biochemical profiles in leaf as well as air pollution tolerance index (APTI) values during monsoon season for herb (Cassia tora), shrub (Hibiscus rosa sinensis) and tree (Psidium guajava) species in the Durgapur industrial zone, West Bengal, India. Several parameters were studied which included shape of the leaves, biochemical parameters viz. ascorbic acid (mg/100 mL), pH, total chlorophyll (μg/mL), relative water content (%) of leaves as well as APTI values in three stratifications of plant species in above-mentioned area. It was observed that too much variations were not found for shape and biochemical parameters in the experimental zones compared to control area. The APTI values revealed all three species observed were tolerant to air pollution during monsoon season in all experimental zones and control zones. In conclusion, if air pollution occurs then these three storied plant species are capable to combat air pollution. This is a preliminary work and future work is suggested to evaluate the shape, biochemical profiles, tolerance level and biomonitoring of air quality status of the studied area in different seasons viz. post-monsoon, winter and pre-monsoon or summer.
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