94

POLLUTION IN HORTICULTURE

Pollution in Horticulture, Fundamental Aspects of Pollution Control and Environmental Science 4, by D.P. Ormrod. Series editor R.J. Wakeman, 1978, 272 pages, 64 tables, 72 figures (including 58 photographs), Else- vier, Amsterdam--Oxford--New York, Dfl. 100.00/U.S. $ 48.75. ISBN 0-444-41726-5.

This compact book describes the interactions be tween different types of pollution of the environment (especially air and water pollution) and horti- culture. Emphasis is placed on the harmful effects of pollutants on horti- cultural crops, but horticultural practices which may produce environmental stress on plants, are also covered. In the first part of the book on pollutants and their effects, pollutants are discussed under the headings air, trace ele- ments, pesticides, water, and salt pollution. The cellular and biochemical responses of plants to pollutants and genetics and plant breeding in relation to pollution are also mentioned. The relevance of all five types of pollution to horticulture is introduced and illustrated b y representative examples. A relatively large port ion of this part of the book is dedicated to the problem of air pollution, and this is understandable because of the importance for horti culture of this t ype of deterioriation of the environment, and because the author 's most far reaching experience is in this special field. In the second part of the book on specific responses to pollutants, the available knowledge about horticultural plant responses to each major pollutant in each group is discussed for a number of horticultural plant species and cultivars separate- ly. These plants belong to one of the groups vegetable crops, fruit crops, f lower crops, turf grasses or w o o d y plants.

The purpose of the book is to unravel as many as possible of the complex relationships be tween horticultural practices and pollutants " to form the basis for devising practices which will minimize the impact of pollutants on horticulture", Some general concepts in this field are very well explained, for e~ample the concept of injury and damage, the concept of acute, chronic and long-term effects concerning times of exposure, concentrations of pollutants and symptoms of effects, and the concept of visible and hidden (subtle) injury.

In relation to air pollution, a very extensive review of the known pollutants is given, and the effects of mixtures of air pollutants, and the interactions of air pollutants with other pollutants of the environment are also discussed thoroughly. Another important topic is the uptake of gaseous pollutants by plants, and the influences of other environmental factors on the effects of air pollutants. Useful information is also provided about the protect ion of plants against air pollutants by chemical substances and the possible positive effects of some air pollutants on crop plants. The evaluation of air pollution effects in field studies is clearly explained, and the use of indicator plants

95 J

to show the presence of air pollutants, and the recognition and measurement of their effects is comprehensively reviewed, in addition to a discussion of artificial fumigations in different types of fumigation chambers and green- houses.

In relation to trace element pollution, sources, uptake and possible risks for plants are reviewed only briefly, as are pesticides, pollution with herbi- cides being the most important for plants. Only water pollution of direct relevance to horticulture (for example salt-polluted ~rigation water) is covered, although other salt-pollution problems (sea spray, de-icing road salt and salt in soil solution) are mentioned and illustrated with a few ex- amples.

The level of the book is suitable for use by the practicing horticultural scientist, and it will also be a good source of information and references for researchers, teachers and students in the field of phytotoxicology at graduate level.

The author has been succesful in bringing together a lot of information, spread over several different types of publication media, not commonly reviewed by horticulturists. Also, by presenting a list of descriptions of specific responses of several crop plant species to different pollutants, the book fills a gap in the literature. The only drawbacks of the publication may be the small type and the quality of some photographs.

A.C. POSTHUMUS

(Wageningen, The Netherlands)