Glyphosate, alachor and maleic hydrazide have genotoxic effect on Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

In the present study effects of herbicides glyphosate (GP), alachlor (AL) and maleic hydrazide (MH) is studied on mitotic cells of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. Seeds of T. foenum-graecum L. treated with a series of concentrations ranging from 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4% and 0.5% for 1, 2 and 6 h and their effect on mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations was studied. The results indicate that these herbicides reduced mitotic index in dose-dependent manner. In addition, increase in the percentage of abnormal mitotic plates was observed in herbicide treated groups which was both concentration and time dependent. Commonly observed abnormalities were c-mitosis, laggards, bridges, stickiness, c-anaphase, precocious separation, un-equal distribution and fragments. The result of the present investigation indicates that commonly used herbicides GP, AL and MH have significant genotoxic effect on T. foenum-graecum plant.