Evaluation of Genotoxic Potential of Heavy Metal in a Proteinaceous Crop (Lens culinaris Medik) in Aspect to Cyto-morphological Parameters

Abstract

Background and Objective: Induce mutagenesis are known to induce variation in germplasm of plants for crop improvement programmes and as alternative to hybridization and recombination in plant breeding. The present study aimed to determine effects of lead (Pb) on cyto-morphological and growth parameters of lentil in M1 generation. Materials and Methods: Germplasm of lentil were treated with different doses (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 ppm) of lead nitrate. Different traits of control and mutagenized population was screened time to time and statistical analysis such as mean, Standard Deviation (SD), Coefficient of Variation (CV%) and Least Significant Difference (LSD at 1 and 5% level) were done. Results: Different qualitative and quantitative traits of control and treated population of M1 generation were observed. Morphological parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, pollen fertility and yield was significantly reduced and showed variation in plant at the seedling stage as well as at mature stages. In addition to this, lead affected the pairing of homologous chromosomes with increasing concentration of lead nitrate percentage of chromosomal abnormalities also increase. Various types of meiotic lesion were recorded such as univalents, multivalent, laggards, bridges, stickiness, stray bivalent, disturbed polarity, precocious separation etc. Conclusion: Lower concentration of lead did not significantly affect the cytological and morphological parameters of lentil whereas higher concentrations of lead nitrate were found to be more genotoxic and mutagenic