Abstract
The present study reports the potential genotoxic effects of a widely used insecticide, endosulfan (Endoin 35% EC), on root tip cells of onion (Allium cepa L.). Treatment of onion root tips at a concentration of 0.156 μg/L of endosulfan showed highest fluctuation of mitotic depression at various durations (0.38 to -181%) of exposure. The mitotic index decreased with the increase in the concentrations of endosulfan mostly at 48 h treatment. The maximum number of dividing cells (n) was observed to be 224 calculated as maximum MI value of 7.0 in lowest concentration (0.0078 μg/L) at 72 h. The abnormalities of common occurrence were unequal cytokinesis and karyokinesis and formation of binucleolated cells in many cases. Gradual decondensation or little condensed chromosomal arms were the common observations in abnormal metaphases and anaphases. The frequencies of all the mitotic abnormalities showed a good correlation with the concentration of the insecticide. Key words: Allium cepa, endosulfan, mitotic index, aberrant cells, genotoxicity.
Highlights
Large-scale utilization of different agrochemicals in developed as well as developing nations has created significant impact on agro-productions to bring green revolution but on the other hand they have become agropollutants in the environment
The effects of endosulfan, observed in this study were based on microscopic and macroscopic evaluations which includes observation on mitotic abnormalities like stickiness, spindle disturbances and binucleate cells
The trend of mitotic index showed a gradual increase with increasing concentration of endosulfan
Summary
Large-scale utilization of different agrochemicals in developed as well as developing nations has created significant impact on agro-productions to bring green revolution but on the other hand they have become agropollutants in the environment. Excessive use of broadspectrum or non selective pesticides, insecticides and herbicides damages the ecosystem irreversibly, contaminates soil surface and ground water as well as food chains affecting health of the inhabitants of aquatic and terrestrial environment (Tilak et al, 1980; Subbarao, 1999). The mutagenic and carcinogenic action of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides on experimental animals is well known and several studies have shown that chronic exposure to low levels of pesticides can cause mutations and/ or carcinogenicity (IARC, 1990, 1991; Karabay and Gunnehir, 2005; Bull et al, 2006). As per Pimentel et al (1998), genotoxicity and mutagenicity of pesticides for non-target organisms and their influence on ecosystems are of worldwide concern. Several studies have shown that chronic exposure to low levels of pesticides can cause birth defects and that prenatal exposure is associated with carcinogenicity (Heeren et al, 2003; Alavanja et al, 2004; Vogel, 2005; Ferretti et al, 2007)
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