Effects of SO2and/or NO2on Native Plants of the Mojave Desert and Eastern Mojave-Colorado Desert

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Abstract
Ten species of plants, five perennials and five annuals, native to the Mojave desert were grown in pots and fumigated in open top plastic greenhouses, 25 hours/week, with SO2 and/or NO2. Three levels of SO2: 2.0, 0.67, and 0.22 parts per million (ppm); three levels of NO2: 1.0, 0.33, and 0.11 ppm; three treatments with 2.0 ppm SO2 + 1.0 ppm NO2, 0.67 ppm SO2 + 0.33 ppm NO2 and 0.22 ppm SO2 + 0.11 ppm NO2 plus untreated control plants were used in the fumigations. The perennials were fumigated for 16 weeks in 1977 and 32 weeks in 1978. Three species of annuals were grown and fumigated for 17 weeks, a fourth for 16 weeks, and a fifth for 12 weeks. A second crop of the first three annuals were grown; one for 12 weeks, a second for 8, and a third for 9 weeks. Individual species differed widely in their particular responses to the fumigants. The fumigations of perennials with 2.0 ppm of SO2 or NO2 at 1.0 ppm caused extensive leaf injury, and reduced growth or dry weight of Larrea divaricate Cav., Chilopsls linearis Cav., and Ambrosia dumosa (Gray) Payne. The combined fumigants had additive effects. No suggestion of synergism was noted. These fumigants at lower concentrations stimulated lateral growth of Encelia farinosa Gray ex Torr. and Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Her., dry weight of Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. and Plantago insularis Eastw. and increased flowering of Balleya pleniradiata Harv. and Gray, thus indicating beneficial effects. Annual species were more severely affected by 2.0 ppm SO2 than the perennials and extensive injury or death of plants occurred in all annuals. At the 0.67 ppm level severe leaf injury occurred. NO2 at 1.0 ppm was less injurious than SO2 and addition of NO2 to SO2 suggested an antagonistic effect. Plant survival and flowering was increased by adding NO2 to plants being treated with SO2 Comparison of perennial species showed Larrea sensitive, Chilopsis, Encella and Ambrosia intermediate, and Atriplex resistant. The annual species showed Erodium cicutarium and Plantago Insularis to be extremely sensitive, Phacelia crenulata Torr very sensitive and Baileya pleniradiata sensitive. Chaenactis carphoclinia Gray grew poorly and no valid rating was possible.

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