Bioindicator Plants - Crops

Commonly used bioindicators for air pollutants

For Ozone:

• Petunia (certain cultivars only)
• Pinto Bean
• Green Bean (cv. Bush Blue Lake 290)
• Tobacco (cv. b el W-3)
• White pine (certain strains only)
• Watermelon (cv. Sugar Baby)

For PAN:

• Pinto Bean
• Petunia (some white-flowered cultivars)

For Fluorides

• Iris
• Ponderosa pine

For SO2:

• Alfalfa
• White pine (certain strains only)
• Bean (cv. OSU 1604)
• Summer crookneck squash
• White birch

Source: Modification from Purdue Univ. Coop. Ext. Serv. Publication HO-195:
Using plants to monitor air pollution by J.E. Simon, M. Simini, and D.R. Decoteau. 1986