An open-top chamber study with filtered and non-filtered air to evaluate the effects of air pollutants on crops

Abstract

Four non-filtered and four charcoal-filtered open-top chambers were employed to determine the effects of ambient levels of gaseous air pollutants at Braunschweig, FRG, on growth and yield of potted plants of winter and spring barley. During the exposure period (November 1985–August 1986) monthly mean values of gaseous air pollutants (μg m −3) ranged between 34 and 127 for SO 2, 34 and 52 for NO 2 and 12 and 33 for O 3 in winter (November–March), and 16 to 26 for SO 2, 20 to 33 for NO 2 and 42 to 53 for O 3 in spring-summer (April–August). Monthly 2% percentile values for these gases reached (μg m −3) 561 for SO 2, 140 for NO 2 and 170 for O 3. The filtering efficiencies of the charcoal filters used averaged 60% for SO 2, 50% for NO 2 and 70% for O 3. All plants of winter barley from the unchambered plot were killed by severe frost periods in winter, 1986. Little frost damage occurred on plants grown in the chambers. Air filtration resulted in higher numbers of plants of winter barley per pot, i.e. a higher number of individuals per area, and a higher dry weight of whole plants and ears compared to the non-filtered atmosphere. In the experiments with spring barley, fresh and dry weight of whole plants were lower and dry weight of leaves were higher in the filtered open-top chambers. These effects could not be observed at all harvests which were carried out during the growing season. Grain yield and sulphur content of the leaves of both barley cultivars were not affected by the air filtration. Production of biomass of spring barley grown in ambient air was higher than of that grown in open-top chambers.