GENOTOXICilY OF SOME MVCOTOXINS AND THEIR EFFECT ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF VICIA FABA

Abstract

The assessment of the genotoxicity of the aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus and Ochratoxin A revealed that these toxins inhibit cell division, reduce the amount of DNA and RNA and induce a number of chromosomal abnormalities in root tip cells of V. faba. The results indicate that the test toxins may act on these criteria through an action on DNA They further indicate the capacity of these toxins to produce mutagenic potential in V. faba. The genotoxicity of the tested toxins has been also revealed by their ability to alter the electrophoretic protein profile of seeds, produced by plants grown from seeds soaked in different treatments of the three toxins and seeds contaminated with the fungi producing them i.e. A. [lavus, A parasiticus and A. ochraceus.

The present study also revealed that the applied treatments of the three toxins inhibit seed germination and growth of V. faba plants as measured by root and shoot length, at different stages of growth and biomass measured as the dry weight of mature plants. Moreover, the yield measured as the number of flowers, pods and seeds/plant and the average weight of seed was reduced by seed treatments with the toxins and seed contamination with the fungi producing these toxins.