The perusual of literature reveals the desirability to screen the mutagenicity of pesticides. The present report deals with the cytological aberrations and chlorophyll mutations induced by Thiodan, Folithion, Lebaycid and Kitazin, employing barley as the test material. The chromosomal aberrations were examined both at mitotic and meiotic level. The root tip cells from pesticide treated barley grains revealed various abnormalities at metaphase including fragmentation, unequal chromosome, chromosomes with displaced satellite and increased number of chromosome. The laggards, bridges, tripolarity, tetrapolarity and micronuclei were seen at later stages. A positive correlation between dose and aberration was noticed. The meiotic analysis of PMC's from plants raised from pesticide treated barley grains, revealed quadrivalents and univalents at metaphase-I. Anaphase-I was atypical in having unequal distribution, laggards, bridges — single or double. The persistent bridges at telophase and micronuclei were not unfrequent. The pollen fertility was reduced. — M2 analysis at the seedling stage revealed albina, xantha and tigrina mutants. The tigrina's were more frequent. Lebaycid was the most effective while Thiodan was the most efficient.
Suppression effect of CIPC on nucleoli in Vicia faba root tip cells.
