Sharjah24 – AFP: Persistently high levels of ozone pollution in Asia are costing China, Japan and South Korea an estimated $63 billion annually in lost rice, wheat and maize crops, a new study says.
While ozone forms a protective layer around the Earth in the upper atmosphere, it is a harmful pollutant at ground level.
It is created by a chemical reaction when two pollutants, often emitted by cars or industry, combine in the presence of sunlight and it can interfere with plant photosynthesis and growth.
The research published Monday harnesses pollution monitoring data from the region and field experiments to show ozone affects Asia's crop yields more than previously thought.
The study's authors said the findings should push policymakers to reduce emissions that produce ozone.
Previous estimates of ozone's effects on staple crops such as rice, wheat and maize have sometimes used varieties that are not prevalent in Asia, or tested plants grown in pots rather than fields.
To get a more accurate picture, the researchers looked at varieties common in the region and did experiments with crops in pots but also in fields.
They exposed rice, wheat and maize to varying levels of ozone and used the resulting crop yields to model how different exposures affected plant development.
They also tested the model with a second experiment in which the crops were treated with a chemical that protects against the effects of ozone, to see if the yield increased in line with their estimations.
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