Cytogenetic activities of a triazine herbicide in root tips of Allium cepa and Vicia faba

Abstract

The cytogenetic effects of various treatments with aventox SC, a triazine herbicide containing simazine and trietazine, were investigated in Allium cepa and Vicia faba. Actively growing root tips of both plants were treated with 3 concentrations of the herbicide for 3, 6 and 24 h. The 3-h treatments caused an increase in mitotic index (MI), but 24-h treatments markedly reduced the mitotic activity. All treatments caused an imbalance in the frequency of mitotic phases. Aventox SC produced a number of mitotic abnormalities resulting from an action on the spindle apparatus. These were C-metaphase and C-anaphase configurations, lagging chromosomes and multipolar anaphases and telophases. This herbicide also induced chromosomal stickiness and chromosomal aberrations comprising bridges and breakage, which indicate an action on the chromosomes. These aberrations indicate a mutagenic potential of the tested herbicide and point out the need for mutagenicity testing of agricultural chemicals.