Foliar responses ofPeristrophe bicalyculata to coal smoke pollution

Study of the foliar responses ofPeristrophe bicalyculata (Reth) Nees to the pollution caused by thermal power plant emissions revealed that the stomatal size, pore length, density, and index, as well as the photosynthetic rate and total chlorophyll content were reduced inP. bicalyculata plants at the polluted site in pre-flowering, flowering as well as post-flowering stage of plant growth. Contrary to this, stomatal conductance increased at each stage. The intercellular level of carbon dioxide was raised in the pre-flowering and flowering stages but decreased later at the polluted site.