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In ternationa l
Scholars
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African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management ISSN 2375-0707 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-005, 
January, 2023. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 
 

 

Full Length Research Paper 

 

Effect of cement dust pollution on the vascular 

cambium of Juglans regia (L.) 

 
Bilal Ahmad Wani* and Amina Khan 

 
Wood Science Laboratory, Department of Botany University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar –190006, India. 

 
Accepted 15 September, 2022 

 
Woody trees increase in girth by the activity of meristematic tissue called vascular cambium. The 

vascular cambium comprises fusiform and ray initials, which give rise to vertically oriented elements 

that is, vessels, fibers, tracheids etc. and horizontally oriented elements that is, rays. The present study 

reveals that there is reduction in dimensions and proportions of fusiform and ray initials in Juglans 

regia growing under impact of cement dust pollution. 
 

Key words: Vascular cambium, cement dust pollution, Juglans regia. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 

 
The activity of vascular cambium is not uniform through-
out the year and is determined by the interaction of 
internal and external factors (Philipson et al., 1971; 
Larson 1994; Iqbal 1994; Grotta et al., 2005) . With rapid 
industrialization the environment is degrading day by day 
effecting air, water and soil. The forests are in no way 
lagging behind in such activity. Trees are mostly affected 
by the air pollution as it changes internal physiology 
leading to growth inhibition and cause visible injury and 
death of plant.  

Number of worker have studied the vascular cambium 
of trees (Dave and Rao, 1982; Ghouse and Iqbal 1975, 
1977; Ghouse et al., 1980; Han and Woong, 1993; Iqbal 
1990; Khan et al., 1988; Khan, 2001; Paliwal and Yadav, 
1999; Paliwal et al., 2002; Rao and Rajput, 1999; Rao et 
al., 1996) but little is known about the activity of vascular 
cambium in trees growing under pollution (Berlyn and 
Battey, 1985; Creber and Chaloner, 1990; Khan, 1982) 
though a few attempts have been made to explain the 
formation of xylem in conditions affected by air pollution 
(Bauch, 1986; De Kort, 1986; Evertsen et al., 1986; 
Ghouse et al., 1984a; b; Kottzenburg and Knigge, 1987; 
Mahmooduzzafar and Iqbal, 1993; Mahmooduzzafar et 
al., 1986; Wahimann et al., 1986). Keeping in view the  
 
 
 
*Corresponding author. Email: arfee.b@rediffmail.com, 

woodscience.2005@gmail.com. 

 
 
 
 

 
above observations an attempt was made to study the 
effect of cement dust pollution on the Vascular cambium 
of Juglans regia. It is one of the most important temperate 

dry fruit trees of J and K state, spread over an area of 
599.00 ha. Producing 83, 399 metric tones of fruit 
annually (Anonymous, 2001) . Besides its fruit production, 
almost every part of tree is useful. The wood is highly 
prized, used in making of high quality furniture, carving 
items, cabinets, musical instruments and in rifle butts 
(Gamble, 1972). 
 
 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 
Cambial sample along with some bark and sapwood of 1 to 2 inch

2
 

size were collected from main trunk of J. regia belonging to family 
Juglandaceae growing under the environmental stress of cement 
dust pollution near Khrew Cement Plant, Khrew, District Pulwama, 
Kashmir, India while healthy plants growing in natural conditions 
from Wahab Sahaib, Shar, District, Pulwama, Kashmir. The geo-
graphical location along with other characteristics of the selected 
sites and material are shown in Table 1. Twenty samples were 
taken from 5 trees of comparable age and vigour under one envi-
ronmental conditions in the same month of the year. Samples were 
fixed on spot in formalin aceto-alcohol (F.A.A) and then transferred 
to 70% ethanol after 72 h for preservation. Samples were sectioned 
in tangential plane at a thickness of 10 to 15 µm. Sections were 
stained in tannic acid, ferric chloride (Foster, 1934) and mounted in 
Canada balsam (Sass, 1958). Measurements of cambial initials 
were carried out from tangential longitudinal sections with the help 
of an ocular micrometer scale under the specific magnification of 
compound microscope. An average of 500 measurements was 



2 

 

 
 
 

 
Table 1. The geographical location along with other characteristics of the selected sites and material.  

 
Factor Site I (Khrew) experimental Site II ( Shar-i Shali) control 

North latitude 30º 12´ 30º 10´ 

East longitude 75º 35´ 75º 30´ 

Elevation (m) 1750 2000 

Soil Sandy clay Sandy clay 

Age in years 10- 13 10- 13  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Figure 1. A: T. L.S of J. regia in normal environmental conditions showing non- stratified cambium. 
B: T.L.S of J. regia growing under cement dust pollution. 

 
 

 
taken on random basis. The mean of cell dimensions were 
determined after pooling the readings obtained from different 
samples. The ratio of ray and fusiform initials was calculated by 

Ghouse and Iqbal (1975). 

 

RESULTS 
 
The Vascular Cambium of presently investigated species 
of J. regia is made up of two type’s initials that is, fusiform 
and ray initials. The fusiform initials were elongated-
spindle shaped elements which overlap with one another 
at considerable distance thus rendering the cambium 
non-stratified. The walls of the fusiform initials bear 
primary pit fields and have distinct plasmodesmata 
connections with the contiguous elements, especially with 
the ray initials. The radial walls of fusiform initials are 
slightly thicker than the tangential ones and appear 

 
 
 

 

distinctly beaded during dormancy (Figure 1a). The 
length of fusiform initials ranges from 363 to 414 µm 
under normal growth conditions and 327 to 378 µm under 
cement dust pollution. The width of these cells is found to 
vary from 16 to 21 µm and 14 to 20 µm, respectively 
(Table 2) . The ray initials which occur in distinct groups 
generally form cambial rays which vary in width and 
height to a considerable extent in the different environ-
mental conditions (Figure 1). Two or more cambial rays 
often fuse together to form complex aggregates running 
to a great height and covering the length of one or more 
fusiform initials. A fusiform initial can also intrude into a 
unit of ray initials by apical intrusive growth thus splitting it 
into two parts.  

The size of ray initials also varies in different environ-

mental conditions. The anticlinal and periclinal diameter 

of these initials ranges from 24/30 - 24/33 µm in normal 



3 

 

  
 
 

 
Table 2. Dimensions of cambial initials under different environmental conditions.  

 
  Fusiform initals  Ray initials  

 

   
Length Width Anticlinal Periclinal 

Ratio of fusiform 
 

   initals to ray  

       
 

  Condition µm µm µm µm µm 
 

 Range Normal 363-414 16-21 24-30 24-33 78/22 
 

  Pollution 327-378 14-20 23-30 22-31 76/24 
 

 
 

 

trees while in cement dust pollution, it ranges from 23/30 

- 22-31 µm (Table 2). Depending on the cambial make-up 
the ratio of ray and fusiform initials differ in different 
conditions of environment. In normal trees, the ray initials 

constitute about 22% and that of fusiform initials con-
stitute about 78% while in trees growing in cement dust 
pollution it constitute about 24 and 76%, respectively. 

 

DISCUSSION 
 
Air pollutants, responsible for vegetation injury and crop 
yield losses, are causing increased concern (Fuji, 1973). 
Air pollution has become a major threat to the survival of 
plants in the industrial areas. Rapid industrialization and 
addition of the toxic substances to the environment are 
responsible for altering the ecosystem (Ara et al., 1991; 
Ahmad et al., 1986). The cement industry also plays a 
vital role in the imbalances of the environment and 
produces air pollution hazards. The cement production 
process is accompanied with the emissions of con-
siderable amounts of dust which causes changes in the 
growth conditions of forest trees. Dust falling from the 
atmosphere to the forest ecosystem is deposited mostly 
on leaves (Parn, 2006), and effect photosynthesis, 
stomatal functioning and productivity (Nanos and Ilias, 
2007). The reduced photosynthetic activity retards 
cambial activity and consequently xylem and phloem 
production (Wahlmann et al., 1986). Transpiration rate 
decreases and assimilation processes are starved of 
minerals (Halbwachs, 1970) . The activity of cambium 
depends on the availability of water, starch, soluble 
sugars, minerals and growth hormones etc. (Berlyn and 
Battey, 1985; Iqbal, 1995; Riding and Little, 1984. In the 
presently investigated plants, arrangement of cambial 
initials depicts a clear non- stratified structure as in the 
majority of vascular plants (Figure 1). In this type of 
arrangement, the fusiform initials overlap with one 
another at considerable distance, thus rendering the 
cambium non-stratified e.g. Salix, Populus, Eucalyptus 
(Dwivedi, 1982).  

Bailey (1923) found that the length of fusiform initials in 
non-stratified form vary from 460 ti 4440 um. The present 
observations regarding this aspect do not agree with the 
limits of Bailey’s above observations. Bartwal et al. 

(1983); Ghouse and Iqbal (1975); Ghouse et al. (1980); 
Khan (1980); Khan (2001); Mahmood (2001) and Wani 

 
 

 

and Khan (2008; 2009) have found the length of fusiform 
initials to fall shorter than the limits for the non –stratified 
cambium. Among the plants of J. regia investigated in the 
present study, those growing under the influence of 
cement dust pollution has been found to possess compa-
ratively short fusiform initials than those growing normal 
conditions. The shortening of fusiform initials is due to 
decreased transpiration, because water content is 
reduced in the stem and fusiform initials readjust their 
dimensions to decrease in size. The short size of fusiform 
initials is coupled with structural shortening of other 
features of the bark and wood namely, the size and 
structure of sieve tube members, vessel elements, xylem 
and phloem rays and the amount and distribution of 
parenchyma so as to support the capillary action in the 
lumen (Esau, 2002; Fahn, 1997). The present findings go 
in agreement with earlier workers (Creber and Chaloner, 
1990; Ghouse et al., 1985, 1989; Iqbal et al., 1987a; b; 
Khan, 1982; Mahmooduzzafar et al., 1986; Yunus and 
Iqbal, 1996).  

The analysis of dimensions of ray initials in the present 
study indicates that they undergo a decrease in the 
polluted environmental conditions as compared to healthy 
trees. While, the relative proportion of the ray initials to 
the fusiform initials has been observed to increase from 
22% in normal condition to 24% under cement dust 
pollution. This clearly shows an increase in the number of 
ray initials with decrease in their anticlinal and periclinal 
diameters under the polluted environment (Creber and 
Chaloner, 1990; Romberger et al., 1993; Yunus and 
Iqbal, 1996). Earlier workers show that the fusiform 
initials constitute more than 90% of the cambial cylinder 
(Bailey, 1923; Butterfield, 1972; Margaris and 
Papadogianni, 1977). But this report goes in agreement 
with Bhat et al. (2005); Ghouse and Iqbal (1975; 1977); 
Khan et al. (1979; 1982; 1983); Khan and Siddiqui 
(2007a-d); Wani and Khan (2008; 2009). 
 

 
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