Growth performance of saffron (Crocus sativusL.) under the impact of alkaline cement dust pollution around an industrial complex

Abstract

Corms of saffron were sown under ambient field conditions in selected plots in September 2004 at a distance of about 1 and 2 kmon the southern side of the Khrew cement factory located in district Pulwama experiencing a dust fall of about 2.08 and 1.19 gm −2 day −1 , respectively. The study carried out for two consecutive growth years (2004–2005 and 2005–2006), each year for a period of 7 months (September–March) has revealed that cement dust affected plants showed a consistent reduction in the photosynthetic pigments, NPK, carbohydrate, ascorbic acid contents as well as phytomass and length of leaves at both the sites. However, proline contents of the foliage exhibited increased levels in the same environmental set-up. The results also showed that various morphological characters of the flowers, viz. size of perianth, length and biomass of the pistil and stigma (saffron of commerce) as well as the whole flower suffered significantly greater reductions under the impact of cement dust pollution. The yield o...