Abstract
Pesticides are compounds with several chemical or biological agents developed to potentiate the biocide action. Their use is associated with increased economic and agricultural productivity worldwide but can harm health and the environment, damaging existing biota. Clethodim is a systemic post-emergent herbicide for grasses, highly selective for cotton, coffee, onions, carrots, soybeans, etc. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the harmful effect of the herbicide Clethodim with the model plant Allium cepa. A series of tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of the herbicide under study. Germination tests, root growth, cell, and nucleolar cycle analysis, as well as oxidative stress assessment and histological analysis of the roots, were performed. The results indicated that the herbicide demonstrated phytotoxicity, inhibiting germination at C1 (1.92 g/L) and C3 (0.84 g/L), and root growth at all concentrations, presenting mutagenicity at C1 (1.92 g/L) and C4 (0.24 g/L), evidenced by the increased frequency of micronuclei. In addition, changes were observed in the enzymatic activity of the enzymes catalase at concentrations C1 (1.92 g/L) and C2 (0.96 g/L) and ascorbate peroxidase at concentrations C1 (1.92 g/L), C2 (0. 96 g/L), and C3 (0.48 g/L) and in cell elongation at concentrations C1 (1.92 g/L) and C3 (0.48 g/L), demonstrated in histological analyses of the root apex.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the financial support. The Federal University of Espírito Santo and Federal University of São Carlos (Laboratory of Comparative Zoology and Biochemistry) for their collaborations.
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The author KRS performed the cytogenetic analysis and study design; the authors KDG, MBL, and SNDS contributed to the writing and revision of the article; the author FBA contributed to the cytogenetic analyses and experimental setup; the authors ING, EZMS, and MNF contributed with the biochemical analyses; the authors HPA and CRDM contributed with the histology analyses; and the author STM provided all the support and guidance in the study.
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Santos, K.R., Galter, I.N., Grecco, K.D. et al. Toxicogenetic, biochemical, and anatomical effects of the herbicide Clethodim on Allium cepa L. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 125388–125397 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31048-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31048-9