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Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide Effects on Tall Fescue: II. Alteration of Quality Constituents¹

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine whether ozone (O₃) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) might alter forage quality parameters of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. ‘Alta’). Plants were exposed weekly to four O₃ treatments, 0, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30 µL L^–1; with or without 0.10 µL L^–1 SO₂, 6 h d^–1 for 12 weeks. Ozone had a much greater impact on forage quality than did SO₂. Ozone increased protein content on a g kg^–1 basis and decreased protein on a weight per plant basis. Ozone reduced crude fat, crude fiber, and total nonstructural carbohydrate contents of the forage. Crude ash content increased due to O₃ exposure. On a weight per plant basis, O₃ decreased the forage concentration of Ca, Mg, and P. Ozone increased Ca concentration of herbage. Sulfur dioxide increased ash content of the forage. Phosphorus concentration and weight per plant of Mg and P were all reduced by SO₂. Significant pollutant interactions occurred for crude fiber, crude ash, total Mg, and total P contents of forage. While treatments resulted in some apparent increases in forage quality, these were at the expense of yield. The most adverse effects on forage quality were an increase in ash content which resulted from an interaction of SO₂ with O₃, and a reduction in soluble carbohydrate content of shoots due to O₃.

Key Words: air pollution • Festuca arundinacea • forage quality • pollutant interaction

¹ Contribution of the Dep. of Botany & Plant Sci., Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521.

² Staff research associate and professor of Agronomy, respectively. Current address of senior author: Crop Science Dep., North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC 27650.

Received for publication February 19, 1984.