Turkish Journal of Biology

Comparative Genotoxic Potential of Mercury and Cadmium in Soybean
Girjesh KUMAR, Priyanka RAI
Plant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, U.P. - INDIA

Abstract: Genotoxic effects of two heavy metals viz. mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) on somatic and gametic cells of soybean were investigated. Seeds were treated with different doses of these heavy metals. Treatments with Hg and Cd not only reduced the frequency of dividing cells but a wide spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities were also recorded. Pollen fertility was found to be significantly correlated with meiotic irregularities found in the metal treatment sets. It was found that both of these heavy metals are capable of inducing chromosomal aberrations, but Hg is much more genotoxic than Cd, since it induces greater abnormalities.

Key Words: Soybean, cadmium, mercury, mitosis, meiosis, pollen fertility

Turk. J. Biol., 31, (2007), 13-18.
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