K Mandeep Kaur, Jatinder Kaur Katnoria & Avinash Nagpal
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences,
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005, Punjab. (INDIA)
Received 9th May, 2011 Revised 18th August, 2011.
Abstract : Due to excessive use of various chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the pollution of agricultural areas is becoming a worldwide problem. Keeping this in mind, the present study was planned to evaluate the effects of soil of an agricultural field (Lopoke 30th Road) of Amritsar, under rice cultivation on induction of chromosomal aberrations (genotoxic effects) in root tip cells of Allium cepa. The soil sample was also analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters. Genotoxicity analysis involved two types of treatments viz., in situ and root dip treatment. For in situ treatment, onion bulbs were grown directly in soil sample contained in earthern pots and for root dip treatment, the soil sample was extracted by using distilled water (soil: water, 1:2 w/v). The different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) of the extract were prepared for treatment of roots of A. cepa for 3 h. Both in situ and root dip treatment of soil sample resulted in induction of different chromosomal aberrations viz., c-mitosis, delayed anaphases, stickiness, laggards, vagrants, chromatin bridges, chromosomal breaks and ring chromosomes.
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