Pesticide induced genotoxicity in legumes

Abstract

Mitotic studies were carried out in three selected pulses viz., mungbean [Vigna radiata (2n = 22)], urdbean [Vigna mungo (2n = 22)] and chickpea [Gieer arietinum (2n = 16)] to score the genotoxicity. Seeds obtained from Indian Institute of Pulses Research [ICAR], Kanpur, were presoaked in distilled water for 16 hours under laboratory conditions and treated with various concentrations of aldrin for 4 hours. The solutions of different concentrations were freshly prepared in phosphate buffer and adjusted to pH-7. After the treatment, the seeds were thoroughly washed in running water and were placed on a moist filter paper in petri-dishes for germination. The root-tips were fixed in freshly prepared 1:3 mixture of acetic acid and ethanol for 24 hours. Thereafter the tips were stored in 70% alcohol in a refrigerator. Root tips were stained in 2% acetocarmine stain following usual hydrolysis method. Cytological examination was done on 4-5 slides from each treatment. The resulting data shows the mean percentage frequencies of abnormalities. Mitotic indices were calculated for all the doses.