Aerial aerosol is defined as a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in the atmosphere. With the improvements in economic and social development, aerosol emissions are rapidly increasing in some Chinese regions. Consequently, haze and fog frequently occur and there are widespread concerns about the possible harmful effects of the haze on human beings. Its possible effects on agricultural production have also been studied and some results, based on related studies carried out globally, have shown that (1) Anthropogenic fossil fuel and biomass combustion have released aerosols into the atmosphere that have affected the quantity and optical properties of aerosols (known as aerosol optical depth). Changes in aerosol optical depth modify the solar radiation reaching the ground, which directly affects the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems. The change in crop yield due to the influence of aerosols was found to be extremely dependent on the magnitude of the reduction in direct radiation and the increase in the diffuse fraction. These particles can directly scatter and/or absorb surface solar radiation in different ways because of differences in the composition and density of air pollutants. The accepted view is that the increase in the aerosol optical depth will reduce direct radiation, and that diffuse radiation will increase to some extent. Furthermore, the increased diffuse radiation should benefit crop canopy photosynthesis and have a larger effect on gross primary production than the latent radiation. (2) The change in radiation also affects air temperature near the surface. The daytime temperature will decrease, but the nighttime temperature might increase, which may lead to a reduced diurnal temperature difference. As a result, crop production and crop water use might fall. (3) The direct effects of aerosol on crops have also been measured, along with the indirect effects of air pollution on crop growth and yield production. The deposition of dry particles on the leaf surface may block the radiation reaching the leaf surface and negatively affect leaf structure and function, which could reduce the photosynthetic capacity of crops. The above-mentioned results showed that there were possible positive and negative effects of air pollution on crop growth. However, the overall effects of the aerosol on crop production are still not clear in regions with serious air pollution problems. Therefore, it is necessary to further quantify the influence of aerosols on radiation partitioning, and their interactions with carbon processes, crop-water relations, crop leaf properties, and photosynthetic functions, to determine the magnitude of the air pollution effects on crop performance and provide possible counter-measures to mitigate the negative effects of air pollution on crop growth.