A Sustainable Option of Developing Kitchen Gardens Based on Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) Method of Plants with Edible Leaves for Health and Well Being

Kitchen gardening is emerging as a sustainable and economic option to meet the food and health demands of a family. Conventionally these have been established in Indian homes since ages. Globally air pollution has become one of the major health and environment hazards and is accelerating at an alarming rate. Delhi being the capital of India experiences inferior air quality as compared to other Indian cities. Plants are known to alleviate air pollution by clarifying, interrupting and riveting pollutants. Classifying such types of plants as sensitive or tolerant groups assumes importance as the former can act as bio-indicators and later as sinks for atmospheric particulates and hence might help to mitigate air pollution. A significant contrivance to screen plant species based on sensitivity or tolerance to air pollutants is Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). Four biochemical parameters, namely, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, relative water content and leaf extract pH were determined to calculate APTI of eleven plants whose leaves are habitually consumed in Delhi. These plants are Spinacia oleracae (Spinach), Chenopodium album (Bathua), Murraya koenigii (Curry leaves), Coriandrum sativum (Coriander), Mentha piperita (Mint), Brassica oleracea (Cabbage), Trigonella foenum-graecum (Methi), Anethum graveolens (Dill), Petroselinum crispum (Parsley), Allium fistulosum (Spring onion) and Moringa oleifera (Drumstick). The results of the study indicated that Moringa oleifera (Drumstick) has the highest APTI of 14.89 and Chenopodium album (Bathua) has the lowest of 5.25. It was recommend that Moringa oleifera followed by Murraya koenigii (APTI=12.89), Petroselinum crispum, Trigonella foenum-graecum (APTI=12.85) and Coriandrum sativum (APTI=11.09) as most appropriate plant species for household plantations as well as kitchen gardens.