The genotoxic effects of fungicide Raxil, active substance tebuconazole in both mitotic and meiotic cell divisions of Allium cepa L. were studied. The bulbs with roots of Allium cepa L. were treated with different concentrations of Raxil (1800 ppm, 2400 ppm, 4200 ppm, 6000 ppm) for 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours. For mitotic studies, the root tips of Allium cepa L. after having grown to a certain length were stained accoording to aceto orcein squash procedure. To determine the effects of Raxil on meiotic cell division was used M1 generation. All concentrations and treatment periods of Raxil induced a number of chromosomal aberrations in root tip cells and in anthers of Allium cepa L. Additionally Raxil decreased the frequency of mitotic index and caused pollen fertility. A linear relationship was observed between increase of chromosomal abnormality with decrease of mitotic index and pollen fertility.

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In the present study, the cytogenetic effects of the herbicide Logran on root tip cells of Triticurn aestivum L. and Hordeum vulgare L. and changes of total protein content in root tip meristems were studied. The seeds of plants were treated with various concentrations of Logran (125, 250, 500 microg/ml) for 3 and 6 h. The percentages of abnormal cells were seen to increase with increasing treatment period and concentrations. The most dominant types of observed abnormalities were C-mitosis, distributed metaphase and anaphase, stickiness. All the used concentrations of Logran significantly induced a number of chromosomal aberrations in root tip cells of Hordemrn vulgare L. and Triticum aestivum L. Logran also decreased mitotic index. The decrease of protein content in root tips of Triticum aestivum L. is significant at all the treated concentrations and treatment periods when compared with control.

In the present study, the cytogenetic effects of the herbicide Avenoxan on meiotic chromosomes of Allium cepa and its relation with pollen sterility were studied. The bulbs with roots of Allium cepa were treated with a series of concentrations (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%) for 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. Controls and treated plants were shown to obtain M1 generation. All the used concentrations of the herbicide Avenoxan and exposure periods caused distinct increase in the number of abnormal cells when compared with the control. The type of the abnormalities induced: chromosome stickiness, bridges, laggards, univalents, quadrivalents and micronuclei. Avenoxan also caused pollen sterility. Increase of chromosomal aberrations was accompained by increase in pollen sterility.

In this study, the cytogenetic effects of a sulphonylurea group herbicide Logran (effective substance; Triasulfuron) were investigated in human peripheral blood lymphocyte culture. The cultures were treated with 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256 mg/ml concentrations of Logran for 24 and 48 h. This compound increased chromosome aberrations (CA) in human lymphocyte culture. Logran decreased Mitotic Index (MI) related to the concentrations. Between the concentrations of 16 and 256 mg/ml Logran, this herbicide is cytotoxic and clastogenic in human peripheral blood lymphocyte culture treated in vitro. Key words Logran, Herbicide, Chromosome aberrations, in vitro lymphocyte culture. Nowadays humans are exposed to the effects of various chemical substances due to developing industry and technology. These chemical substances can be agricultural pests, food additives and medicines. These compounds may have significant effects for many generations. Therefore, it is important to determine the mutagenic effects of these compounds by the appropriate test systems. Suphonylurea herbicides are used to control broad-leaved weeds. Logran is one of the sulphonylurea herbicides and its active substance is triasulfuron. This herbicide is used extensively, especially on wheat grown agricultural area in Turkish Trakya. It is known that about 10-12000 kg Logran is used on a 2-2.3 million hectare agricultural land in a single season in Edirne province. Excessive use of these sulphonylurea herbicides in agricultural areas may accumulate in soil and water. Thus, they may reach to the organisms and may result in several harms. Althought the effects of some urea group herbicides are investigated (Agrawal et al. 1996, Chauhan et al. 1998, Papapaulou et al. 2001) there is no report about cytogenetic effects of Logran on animals and humans. Testing agents for their ability to induce CA has a firm place in screening strategies for mutagenic/carcinogenic agents (Ishidate et al. 1998, Kirkland 1998, Obe et al. 1982). Detailed cytogenetic assay dealing with chromosome aberration is one of the important ways for evaluating genotoxic agents in vivo and in vitro (Carrano and Natarajan 1988, Natarajan and Obe 2002). CAs are induced by agents that damage chromosomal DNA (Natarajan 1976, Roberts 1978, Singer and Grunberger 1983). Therefore, scoring chromosomal aberrations is a direct measure of chromosome breakage and offers an accurate evaluation of the clastogenic (chromosome breakage) activity of an agent. In the present study it was aimed to investigate the cytogenetics effects and dose response relations of Logran (commercial formulation of Triasulfuron) in human blood lymphocyte culture. Material and method In the present study, human peripheral blood was used as material, and Logran as a test substance. Logran consists of 4% triasulfuron (C 14 H 16 ClN 5 O 5 S-3-(6-methoxy-4-methyl-1,3,5-triazine