Effect of chlorine pollution on three fruit tree species at Ranoli near Baroda, India

This paper describes the effect of chlorine pollution from an alkalies and chemical plant at Ranoli, near Baroda, on three tropical fruit tree species-Mangifera indica L. (mango) Manilkara hexandra Dubard. (rayan) and Syzygium cumini Skeels (Jamun). As compared to controls growing in a less polluted area, trees growing close to the plant showed reduced mean leaf area, a higher percentage of leaf area damaged, a reduction in fruit yield, chlorophyll pigments, protein and carbohydrate content, and higher accumulation of chloride in the foliar tissues. The accumulation of pollutaant, chloride, in the foliar tissues was very high in mango and jamun. Based on the degree of damage to the plants, the species studied were arranged in decreasing order of their sensitivity to chlorine pollution-mango, jamun and rayan.