Biochemical responses and air pollution tolerance of philodendron scandens to Nano urea under different potting media

Urban air pollution and shrinking green spaces necessitate the use of pollution-tolerant ornamental foliage plants for sustainable urban landscaping. The present study, “Biochemical Responses and Air Pollution Tolerance of Philodendron scandens to Nano Urea under Different Potting Media”, was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Mojerla, SKLTSHU, from December 2021 to May 2022. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with six nano urea levels and four potting media compositions. At 125 days after planting, nano urea significantly improved biochemical traits and Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). Nano urea @ 2 ml L⁻¹ recorded the highest relative water content (92.17%), leaf pH (5.43), total chlorophyll (2.49 mg g⁻¹) and APTI (12.30), along with greater leaf greenness (L* 40.2; a* –0.76), compared to the control. Among potting media, M3 showed higher relative water content (80.37%) and leaf pH (4.93), while M4 registered the highest chlorophyll content (1.75 mg g⁻¹). Interaction effects were non-significant. The study concludes that foliar application of nano urea at 2 ml L⁻¹, combined with organically enriched potting media, effectively enhances biochemical traits and air pollution tolerance of Philodendron scandens, supporting its suitability for urban and vertical landscaping.