Assessment of relative sensitivities during early growth stages of selected crop species subjected to simulated acidic rain

Abstract

Under greenhouse conditions, experiments were performed to assess the cultivar sensitivity (during early growth stages) to simulated acidic rain treatments of six economically important crop species. The accumulation of dry biomass was investigated for the following crops: alfalfa, barley, cabbage, corn, cucumber, and soybean. For each crop, treatments consisted of eight acidity levels in simulated rain — pH 2.6, 3.0, 3.4, 3.8, 4.2, 4.6, 5.0, and 5.6. Crops varied in response to increased rain acidity. Overall, exposure of cultivars to a range of acidities in simulated rain had very little effect on the dry biomass accumulation of shoot and root components. With the exception of cabbage, the crop species examined were highly resistant to injury and dry biomass reduction after exposure to acidic rainfall. The results also demonstrated that plant response to simulated acid rain was not only species dependent, but also cultivar dependent.