Pesticide Toxicity: A study of effects of pesticide Monocrotophos on root tip mitosis of Pennisetum glaucum (L) RBr

In the present world where food security is given utmost importance and the focus is mostly on increasing the production and decreasing the loss due to pests etc, pesticides have become a virtual necessity. In spite of their undebatable benefits, pesticides have definite harmful effects on the plants and through them to the human beings as well. These ill effects operate through small chromosomal mutations which may lead to unknown genetic effects in the long run. In countries like India where agriculture is mostly done by the less educated people, this situation becomes worse as they apply these pesticides indiscriminately. Thus, bioassaying of each pesticide on all the major crops must be done in order to select lesser damaging ones and recommend them to the farmers for application. The present study is an effort towards this goal where a common and comparatively safe pesticide Monocrotophos was tested for its effects on the mitosis of Pearl Millet to enact similar conditions which roots face when excess pesticides leach into the soil. Various abnormalities were encountered in the mitosis along with chromosomal aberrations. The paper discusses the mode of action and reasons for the abnormalities.