Evaluation of genotoxic potential of an agricul– tural soil sample of Nangli village of Amritsar  (India) under rice cultivation

Vanita Chahal; Dr. Avinash Nagpal; Dr. Jatinder Kaur Katnoria

Volume : II, Issue : II, February - 2013

Evaluation of genotoxic potential of an agricul– tural soil sample of Nangli village of Amritsar (India) under rice cultivation

Vanita Chahal, Dr. Avinash Nagpal, Dr. Jatinder Kaur Katnoria

Abstract :

Nowadays, the problem of soil pollution is increasing at alarming rates not only in developed countries but in developing countries as well. A number of genotoxic compounds have been discharged on to the lands which directly or indirectly find their way into various biological systems including the human beings. Upon reaching the human systems, these pollutants can not only cause direct toxicity but can also potentially damage the gene pool. Keeping this in mind, the present study was planned to evaluate the genotoxic potential of an agricultural soil sample collected from Nangli village of Amritsar under rice cultivation employing Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay (AlRCAA). Two types of treatments viz,. in situ and root dip treatment were followed. Both the treatments resulted in different types of aberrations like laggards, vagrants, c-mitosis, delayed anaphase, stickiness (physiological aberrations) and chromosomal eaks, chromatin idges (clastogenic aberrations). Root dip treatment induced 12.63 % of total aberrant cells at highest concentration (100%) whereas in situ treatment induced 12.03 % total aberrant cells.