Ambient and Elevated Ozone (O3) impacts on Potato Genotypes (Solanum tuberosum.L) over a high altitude Western Ghats location in Southern India

Abstract

Globally, next to CO 2 and Methane, raising levels of tropospheric ozone (O 3 ), acts as a secondary pollutant and green house gas which is a silent threat as well as one of the biggest challenges for the decrease in agricultural production. The diurnal and seasonal variation characteristics of ambient ozone (O 3 ) and its precursor NOx was investigated by their continuous measurements at ISRO-Climate Change Observatory situated in a high altitude Western Ghats location of Ooty. The impact of ambient  O 3 on the growth and yield characteristics of various potato genotypes were assessed by the calculated higher ozone exposure indices AOT40 and SUM60 than critical levels by showing “latent injury“ in the form of  yield reduction (4.56 - 25.5 %) in potato genotypes. The impact of three elevated O 3 levels (100, 150 and 200 ppb for 4 hd -1 ) on ten potato genotypes was done by fumigation under controlled open–top chamber during its critical stage namely the tuber initiation stage resulted that Kufri Surya proved to be moderately resistant by recording the highest yield.