Abstract
The present study was carried out to analyze physico-chemical characteristics of agricultural soil samples of Amritsar, India, under wheat cultivation and their genotoxic and anti-oxidative enzyme responses in Allium cepa test system. Physico-chemical parameters of soil samples, total protein content, crude lipid content, and activity of different anti-oxidative enzymes in A. cepa under the exposure of different soil samples were investigated using standard protocols. The genotoxicity of agricultural soil samples was assessed by employing Allium cepa root tip chromosomal aberration assay. The genotoxicity studies in A. cepa showed induction of various physio-logical and clastogenic aberrations dominated by delayed anaphase/s followed by stickiness, C-mitosis, and chromatin bridges. Eastern zone (EW2) soil sample (26.21%) showed induction of highest percent chromosomal aberrations, while central zone (CW1) soil sample (16.33%) showed lowest percent as compared to control (5.96%) in in situ treatment. Root dip treatment revealed highest percent aberrations in EW2 sample (30.28%), whereas southern zone (SW4) showed lowest percentage (28.43%) of chromosomal aberrations at highest concentration of soil extract used, i.e., 100%. Biochemical studies on onion bulbs treated with agricultural soil samples indicated a significant reduction in the contents of crude lipids, while variation in total protein contents as compared to control was insignificant. The activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase were reduced, while the activities of glutathione-S-transferase and dehydro-ascorbate reductase were enhanced in treated bulbs as compared to control bulbs. Pearson correlation analysis reported significant negative correlation between magnesium ion concentration and in situ soil genotoxicity. Other physico-chemical parameters also showed significant correlations with enzymes and biochemical molecules. The study clearly depicted significant genotoxic potential of agricultural soils along with their effects on the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes which could be attributed to indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
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The authors would like to acknowledge University Grants Commission for financial support to Mandeep Kaur and also College of Environment and Planning, Henan university, China, for their help in statistical analysis and preparation of this manuscript.
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Funding was provided by the University Grants Commission under UPE/CPEPA/DRS scheme and BSR fellowship to Mandeep Kaur.
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Mandeep Kaur: Conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, statistical analysis, and manuscript drafting
Sandip Singh Bhatti: Editing and statistical analysis
Rajneet Kour Soodan: Soil sample collection
Jatinder Kaur Katnoria: Analysis and interpretation of data
Renu Bhardwaj: Experimental analysis
Avinash Kaur Nagpal: Conception and design of experiment and interpretation of data
Ming Xu: Statistical analysis and drafting of manuscript
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Kaur, M., Bhatti, S.S., Soodan, R.K. et al. Physico-chemical Characterization of Agricultural Soil Samples and Their Modulatory Effects on Cytogenetic and Biochemical Parameters of Allium cepa. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21, 1890–1903 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00488-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00488-y