Tropospheric ozone pollution in India: effects on crop yield and product quality

Ozone (O-3) in troposphere is the most critical secondary air pollutant, and being phytotoxic causes substantial losses to agricultural productivity. Its increasing concentration in India particularly in Indo-Gangetic plains is an issue of major concern as it is posing a threat to agriculture. In view of the issue of rising surface level of O-3 in India, the aim of this compilation is to present the past and the prevailing concentrations of O-3 and its important precursor (oxides of nitrogen) over the Indian region. The resulting magnitude of reductions in crop productivity as well as alteration in the quality of the product attributable to tropospheric O-3 has also been taken up. Studies in relation to yield measurements have been conducted predominantly in open top chambers (OTCs) and also assessed by using antiozonant ethylene diurea (EDU). There is a substantial spatial difference in O-3 distribution at different places displaying variable O-3 concentrations due to seasonal and geographical variations. This review further recognizes the major information lacuna and also highlights future perspectives to get the grips with rising trend of ground level O-3 pollution and also to formulate the policies to check the emissions of O-3 precursors in India.