IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS) e-ISSN: 2278-3008, p-ISSN:2319-7676. Volume 6, Issue 4 (May. – Jun. 2013), PP 35-42 www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 35 | Page Dust Interception Capacity And Alteration Of Various Biometric And Biochemical Attributes In Cultivated Population Of Ficus Carica L. Uzma Younis, Tasveer Zahra Bokhari, Muhammad Hasnain Raza Shah, Seema Mahmood and Saeed Ahmad Malik Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Botany department, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan Abstract: The dust accumulation capacity of Ficus carica L. was evaluated from eight different sites in and around Multan. The impact of dust accumulation was observed via various biometric attributes (leaf area, leaf fresh and dry weights) and biochemical attributes (chlorophyll contents, carotenoids & ascorbic acid) from leaves of F. carica. The maximum dust accumulation was occurred in the plants growing at Road sides while, the minimum dust was found on plants growing at Bahauddin Zakariya University. Dust accumulation has caused a significant effect on almost all foliage and biochemical attributes of F. carica. A positive correlation was found between dust accumulation and biometric attributes in F. carica. Biochemical responses had shown an inconsistency as chlorophylls (a, b & total), carotenoids decreased and ascorbic acid contents increased with an increase in dust accumulation. A negative correlation was found between dust deposition and chlorophyll contents. Whereas, accumulation of ascorbic acid was associated with a decline in pigment contents. Key Words: Dust interception, Ficus carica, biometric and biochemical attributes. I. Introduction Dust is a general name for solid particles having diameters >500 μm but particles of 2.5 -10 μm in atmospheric are of great concern for health of local public (Borja-Aburto et al., 1998; Beckett et al., 1998). Dust particles arise from natural sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind and volcanic eruptions but sometimes dust also contains small amounts of pollen grains, human and animal hairs, stuff and paper fibers and many other materials (Kathleen Hess-Kosa, 2002). Windblown dust is a common feature of arid ecosystems as soils remain dry and serve as a major source of small particulate matter (Sharifi et al., 1997). In addition, agricultural activities and fast moving traffic also generate high dust concentrations (Leys et al., 1998; Manins et al., 2001). Considerable attention is given to particulate matter pollution in the recent years because it caused severe health harms (Jafary et al., 2007). Worldwide particularly in urban areas almost 600 million persons suffered from a variety of ailments due to dust pollution (Cacciola et al., 2002). Accumulation and deposition of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter depends upon the vegetation type (Bunzl et al., 1989; Fowler et al., 1989). Vegetation makes contribution in reducing dust concentration in environment by acting as a sink for air pollutants. Due to surface characteristics of twigs, bark and foliage of the plants particulate matters are captured by them and remain there for extended time period. Generally exposed areas of a plant especially leaves act as constant absorbers for particulate matters (Samal and Santra, 2002). Thus air quality in urban/ arid areas can be improved by planting trees along road sides and agricultural lands (Beckett, et al., 2000; Freer-Smith et al., 2005; Raupach et al., 2001). However, dust accumulation capability of plants depends on their range of characteristics which include outside geometry, phyllotaxy and leaf attributes (cuticle and pubescence of leaves), tallness and canopy of plants. On the other hand, morphology and internal structure of leaves is altered by heavy load of dust pollutants (Somashekar et al., 1999; Gostin, 2009; Sukumaran, 2012). Particulate pollutants can cause many lethal effects on plants like stomatal clogging, reduced photosynthetic activity, leaf fall and death of tissues (Singh and Sthapak, 1999; Farooq et al., 2000; Shrivastava and Joshi, 2002; Garg et al., 2000). Leaf chlorosis also caused by dust pollution due to its effect on chlorophyll biosynthesis (Seyyednejad et al., 2011). However, many plant types are able to stable their populations despite significant dust fall/deposition on their exposed surfaces because harmful effects of particulate matter are scavenged by carotenoids and ascorbic acid production which are the expression of non-enzymatic resistance in plants to numerous abiotic stresses (Prajapati and Tripathi, 2008). Multan (Plate-I) is the third largest city of the province Punjab, Pakistan. The city is famous for dust storm. Urbanization of the city particularly during the last decade had resulted in deforestation and significant increase in the number of automobiles has aggravated the problem of particulate matter pollution.