Dry seeds of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) are exposed to azo-dyes [methyl orange (MO) and malachite green (MG)] and heavy metals [cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)] following impregnation of a filter paper for 12 days at an interval of 48 h. Cytotoxicity on mitotic index, types, and frequency of cytological abnormalities and apoptotic cell death induced by the test materials are assessed in relation to control. All the studied environmental pollutants were found to reduce germination and growth, inhibit cell division, enhance cytological aberrations and cause apoptotic cell death. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses not only reveal apoptosis but also induced metabolic peak shifting and polyploid cell formation at late G 2 phase. Results suggest that heavy metals (Pb Cd) show more toxicity than azo-dyes (MG MO). The objective of the investigation is to predict safety dose for commercial exploitation of the studied azo-dyes and heavy metals. From the standpoint of which the employed low doses of the studied environmental pollutants are found to induce cytotoxicity affecting germination and growth in seedlings of N. sativa.
Twenty inter hybrids (IVHs) were raised in crossing among three sesame cultivars Sesamum indicum L. cv. Tilottama, Roma and Savitri following inter planting. Frequency of plants with crossed pods ranges from 0.00 to 5.00% among the lines. Percentage of crossed pods per plant varies 1.59 to 3.84% in Roma Tilottama (RT) hybrids, 2.36 to 3.13% in Savitri Roma (SR) and 2.17 to 5.56% in Savitri Tilottama (ST). IVHs are screened at F 1 based on seed coat color. Meiotic configurations assessed in parents and in F 1 hybrids reveal high frequency of regular homologous pairing with 13 II (Tilottama: 99.35%, Roma: 97.50%, Savitri: 97.37%; RT hybrids: 87.44% average, SR hybrid: 84.08% and ST: 89.29%) at metaphase I (MI) with near equal (13/13), anaphase I (AI) and relatively high pollen grain fertility. F 2 segregation of selfed F 1 progenies demonstrates intermediate dominance (1 : 2 : 1) of seed coat color of the studied sesame varieties. Based on seed yield/ plant and fatty oil content, few promising IVHs are screened.
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