Abnormal Pollen Size as a Biological Indicator of Vehicle Pollution

Abstract

Pollen deformities remain as bio - indicator of vehicular pollution. Different types of deformities were observed in the pollen grains collected from polluted sites of Chapra town belonging to fifteen plant species such as abnormal shape and reduced size of pollen grains, black spot on exine, broken exine and accumulation of cytoplasmic grainules on the pollen surface. These deformities were recorded in percentage of occurrence.17 percent abnormal shaped pollen grains were observed for Cassia fistula. The percentage occurrence of 21% reduced sized pollen grains, 7 percent pollen grains having black spot on surface, 9% pollen having broken exine and 13% pollen grains having cytoplasmic granules on surface were observed with respect of Cassia fistula. Maximum pollen deformities as compared to other species were observed for this plant species. Higher percentage of deformed pollen grains were also observed for Amaranthus spinosus, Azadiracta indica and Parthenium hysteroforus. Minimum number of deformed pollen grains were observed among Acacia arabica, Brassica compestris, Dalbergia sisso, Hibiscus rosa sinensis, Mangifera indica and Mimosa sp. There were no any broken exine having pollen grains noticed among pollens of Argemone mexicana, Acacia arabica, Brassica compestris, Dalbergia sisso, Datura alba, Hibiscus rosa sinensis, Mangifera indica, and Mimosa sp. The pollen grains having cytoplasmic granules was not observed for these plant species of plants except Datura alba.