Effects of ethidium bromide and nalidixic acid pretreatment on the induction of chromatid aberrations by TEM and maleic hydrazide in Vicia faba main root meristems

Pretreatment of Vicia faba main root meristems with ethidium bromide (EB) or nalidixic acid (NA) significantly reduced the yield of metaphases with chromatid aberrations induced by maleic hydrazide (MH), i.e., triggered clastogenic adaptation to MH. No such protection occurred when the alkylating agent triethylenemelamine (TEM) was used for challenge treatment. The differential response of pretreated cells to MH on the one hand (protection) and to TEM (no protection) on the other supports the conclusion that clastogenic adaptation is due to different inducible (repair?) functions, which eventually exert protection against clastogenic impacts.     

Effects of benzamide pretreatment on clastogenic adaptation of Vicia faba root-tip meristem cells to triethylenemelamine (TEM) and maleic hydrazide (MH)

Clastogenic adaptation to TEM or MH no longer occurred when benzamide, an inhibitor of nuclear ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADPRT), was applied prior to the low dose (conditioning) treatment which triggers this phenomenon. This may be indicative that inducible processes connected with ribosylation reactions are involved in the protective effects exerted by clastogenic adaptation. No increase by benzamide pretreatment was observed in the yield of metaphases with TEM- or MH-induced chromatid aberrations after conditioning and challenge treatment, respectively. High benzamide concentrations (1 h, 5 X 10(-3) M) exerted protective effects against TEM challenging but not against MH.     

Involvement of phytochelatins in NiCl2-triggered protection against induction of chromatid aberrations by TEM and MH in Vicia faba root tip meristems?

Conditioning treatment of Vicia faba root tip meristem cells with NiCl2 prior to challenge treatment with triethylenemelamine (TEM) or maleic hydrazide (MH) triggered protective functions against both these clastogens, i.e., resulted in a significantly reduced yield of metaphases with chromatid aberrations. Protection was prevented by pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine (BSI), an inhibitor of the synthesis of plant phytochelatins (PCs), indicating that the NiCl2-triggered PC synthesis may be involved in the protective functions induced by NiCl2 conditioning treatment. BSI (instead of NiCl2) conditioning treatment triggered protection against MH but not against TEM.     

Clastogenic adaptation triggered by S-phase-independent clastogens in Vicia faba

Conditioning pretreatment of Vicia faba root-tip meristem cells with small doses of X-rays (0.06 Gy) or bleomycin, S-phase-independent clastogens, significantly reduced the yield of metaphases with chromatid aberrations induced by challenge doses of the same clastogens, administered 2 h after conditioning, i.e., resulted in clastogenic adaptation. Both clastogens were found to be able to substitute for each other in arousing protective effects (clastogenic cross-adaptation).     

Effects of novobiocin on heat shock protection against chromatid aberration induction by triethylenemelamine (TEM) and maleic hydrazide (MH) in Vicia faba

Heat shock (10 min 40 degrees C) prior to challenge treatment with triethylenemelamine (TEM) or maleic hydrazide (MH) significantly reduced the frequency of induced chromatid aberrations in Vicia faba main root meristems. Novobiocin treatment before heat shock did not prevent heat shock protection against both clastogens; novobiocin application after heat shock prevented protective effects. These results and those obtained earlier for heat shock protection against X-ray challenge are used to discuss possible causes underlying the protective effects triggered by heat shock.     

Low temperature between conditioning and challenge treatment prevents the 'adaptive response' of Vicia faba root tip meristem cells.

When the temperature during intertreatment time (2 h) between conditioning and challenge treatment of Vicia faba root tip meristems with either triethylenemelamine or maleic hydrazide was reduced from 24 degrees C to 12 degrees C no adaptive response occurred any more. The yield of metaphases with chromatid aberrations under these circumstances was similar to that observed after challenge treatment alone, i.e., no reduction occurred. This indicates that the metabolic state of the cells is of critical importance for the presence or absence of adaptive responses.     

Exposure of Vicia faba and Pisum sativum to copper-induced genotoxicity

The potential genotoxicity of Cu(2+) was investigated in Vicia faba and Pisum sativum seedlings in hydroponic culture conditions. Cu(2+) caused a dose-dependent increase in micronuclei frequencies in both plant models. Cytological analysis of root tips cells showed clastogenic and aneugenic effects of this heavy metal on V. faba root meristems. Cu(2+) induced chromosomal alterations at the lowest concentration used (2.5 mM) when incubated for 42 h, indicating the potent mutagenic effect of this ion. A spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities was observed in V. faba root meristems, illustrating the genotoxic events leading to micronuclei formation.     

Clastogenic effects produced by black pepper in mitotic cells of Vicia faba

Black pepper, as is well known, is an important spice widely used in the cooking and processing of meat and fish. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the clastogenic potential of black pepper. This was accomplished by treating root meristems of Vicia faba with aqueous extracts of black pepper. Examination of the treated roots showed the presence of chromatid breaks, chromosome breaks, gaps and exchanges. Statistically significant differences from controls were observed. Experiments to evaluate its clastogenic potential in mouse systems are in progress and the results will be published elsewhere.     

Clastogenic and mitodepressive effects of the insecticide dichlorvos on root meristems of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia faba</Emphasis>

Plant bioassays are an important and integral part of the test battery used in detecting genotoxic/carcinogenic contamination in the environment. Highly sensitive biomonitoring of plant models have been developed, which enables the detection of hazards arising from pesticides, insecticides, industrial contamination, heavy metals and radiation. Root tips of Vicia faba ssp. minor were treated with 1-60 mM of the organophosphorus insecticide dichlorvos (DDVP) for 2 h, followed by a 20-h recovery period. Maleic acid hydrazide (MH) was used as a positive control for the mitotic index, micronucleus and chromosomal aberration assays performed on the Vicia model system. All treatments with DDVP significantly decreased the mitotic activity and increased the frequency of chromosomal aberrations at the metaphase. The frequency of micronuclei was significantly increased at DDVP concentrations starting from 10 mM. The results demonstrate clastogenic and mitodepressive effects of DDVP on Vicia faba cells.     

Enhancement and reduction by methylated oxypurines of the frequencies of chromatid aberrations induced by camptothecin in root-tip cells of Vicia faba.

In root-tip cells of Vicia faba the frequencies of chromatid aberrations induced by 3-h treatments with 0.05 microM camptothecin were strongly modified when the treatments were carried out in the presence of caffeine at concentrations above 1 mM. Depending on the concentration of caffeine, the clastogenic effect of camptothecin was either enhanced or reduced. At concentrations between 1 and 6 mM, caffeine increased the camptothecin-induced chromosome damage, the strongest enhancement being obtained at 5 mM. A reduction of the chromosome damage was apparent at caffeine concentrations above 10 mM, and in the presence of 20 mM caffeine the clastogenic effect of camptothecin was almost completely suppressed. When present during the camptothecin treatment, theophylline, 8-chlorocaffeine and 1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid influenced the induced chromosome damage in a similar way as caffeine, although with varying efficiency. If the concentrations required to produce the two types of modifying effect are used as a criterion, 8-chlorocaffeine was the most effective and 1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid the least, whereas caffeine and theophylline were about equally effective.     

Induction of chromosomal aberrations by camptothecin in root-tip cells of Vicia faba.

When root-tip cells of Vicia faba were exposed during early and middle interphase to camptothecin (Cpt), the aberrations obtained were exclusively of the chromatid type and tended to be localized in late replicating heterochromatic regions of the chromosomes. In these respects the clastogenic effect of Cpt resembles that of agents that act by an S-phase-dependent mechanism. In contrast to typical S-phase-dependent agents, Cpt produced lesions capable of giving rise to aberrations only in S-phase cells that were synthesizing DNA at the time of treatment. The dependence on ongoing DNA synthesis was suggested in autoradiographic experiments and by the fact that the clastogenic effect of Cpt was strongly suppressed by hydroxyurea, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis. After Cpt treatments, there were many more cells with 3-12 aberrations and far fewer cells with 0, 1 or 2 aberrations than expected on the basis of a Poisson distribution. Cpt further differed from typical S-phase-dependent agents by being capable of inducing lesions in the G2 phase that give rise to chromosomal aberrations in the first mitosis after treatment. This effect was obtained at Cpt concentrations around 10 microM, whereas only 0.03 microM Cpt was required to produce chromatid aberrations in the S phase. Results of G2-phase experiments with Cpt and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, suggest that DNA synthesis is required for the clastogenic effect of Cpt not only during the S phase, but also during the G2 phase, although the DNA syntheses involved are both quantitatively and qualitatively different.     

Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between intercropped maize and faba bean

Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between maize (Zea mays L. cv. Zhongdan No. 2) and faba bean (Vicia faba L. cv. Linxia Dacaidou) in maize/faba bean intercropping systems were assessed in two field experiments in Gansu province, northwestern China, plus a microplot experiment in one treatment of one of the field experiments in which root system partitions were used to determine interspecific root interactions. Intercropping effects were detected, with land equivalent ratio values of 1.21–1.23 based on total (grain+straw) yield and 1.13–1.34 based on grain yield. When two rows of maize were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, both total yield and grain yield of both crop species were significantly higher than those of sole maize and faba bean on an equivalent area basis. When two rows of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Beijing No. 5) were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, neither total yield nor grain yield of faba bean was higher than of sole faba bean on an equivalent area basis. Interspecific competition between maize and faba bean was relatively weak, with mean relative crowding coefficients of 0.99–1.02 for maize and 1.55–1.59 for faba bean. The microplot experiment in which partitions were placed between root systems showed a significant positive yield effect on maize when the root systems intermingled freely (no partition) or partly (400 mesh nylon net partition) compared with no interspecific root interaction (plastic sheet partition). This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Importance of the type of soil for the induction of micronuclei and the growth of primary roots of Vicia faba treated with the herbicides atrazine, glyphosate and maleic hydrazide.

Research was carried out on the genotoxic effects (induction of micronucleated cells in primary root tips) and toxic effects (reduction in primary root growth) in young plants of Vicia faba grown in soils with different organic matter contents and treated with the herbicides atrazine, glyphosate and maleic hydrazide. The data obtained show that the genotoxic effects are noticeably influenced by the interactions between the herbicide and the type of soil in which the Vicia faba have grown. While maleic hydrazide proved to be highly clastogenic for young plants grown in both soils, atrazine was genotoxic only in young plants grown in soil poor in organic matter. Glyphosate did not induce micronuclei under either soil condition, but induced a significant toxic effect.     

Nitrogen Fixation of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Interacting with a Non-legume in Two Contrasting Intercropping Systems

A field experiment was carried out to quantify biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) using the ¹⁵N isotope natural abundance method in maize (Zea mays L.)/faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/faba bean intercropping systems. Faba bean was yielding more in the maize/faba bean intercropping, but not in the wheat/faba bean intercropping. Biomass, grain yield and N acquisition of faba bean were significantly increased when intercropped with maize, and decreased significantly with wheat, irrespective of N-fertilizer application, indicating that the legume could gain or lose productivity in an intercropping situation. There was yield advantage of maize/faba bean intercropping, but no in wheat/faba bean intercropping. The grain yield of the faba bean intercropped with maize was greater than that of faba bean monoculture due to increases of the stems per plant and the pods per stem of faba bean. N fertilization inhibited N fixation of faba bean in maize/faba bean and wheat/faba bean intercropping and faba bean monoculture. The responses of different cropping systems to N-fertilizer application, however, were not identical, with competitive intercropping (wheat/faba bean) being more sensitive than facilitative intercropping (maize/faba bean). Intercropping increased the percentage of N derived from air (%Ndfa) of the wheat/faba bean system, but not that of the maize/faba bean system when no N fertilizer was applied. When receiving 120 kg N/ha, however, intercropping did not significantly increase %Ndfa either in the wheat/faba bean system or in the maize/faba bean system in comparison with faba bean in monoculture. The amount of shoot N derived from air (Ndfa), however, increased significantly when intercropped with maize, irrespective of N-fertilizer application. Ndfa decreased when intercropped with wheat, albeit not significantly at 120 kg N/ha. Ndfa was correlated more closely with dry matter yield, grain yield and competitive ratio, than with %Ndfa. This indicates that that total dry matter yield (sink strength), not %Ndfa, was more critical for the legume to increase Ndfa. The results suggested that N fixation could be improved by yield maximization in an intercropping system.     

Ammonium chloride and zinc sulfate pretreatments reduce the yield of chromatid aberrations induced by TEM and maleic hydrazide in Vicia faba

Pretreatment of Vicia faba root-tip meristems with ammonium chloride and zinc sulfate prior to challenge treatment with maleic hydrazide (MH) and TEM, respectively, resulted in significant reductions of the yield of metaphases with chromatid aberrations. Ammonium sulfate pretreatment was without effect on aberration yield. Similar to heat-shocks and a variety of other agents, which induce the heat-shock response, the protective effects of ammonium chloride and zinc sulfate are presumed to be due to stress-responses of the root meristem cells which eventually result in inducible anticlastogenic functions.     

Integrated management of faba bean chocolate spot caused by Botrytis fabae in Gondar,Ethiopia

Abstract

Integrated management of faba bean chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae Sard.) was studied using moderately tolerant variety, “Hachalu” and the local cultivar at Chilga district during 2016 main cropping season. The objective was to evaluate effect of host resistance, intercropping and fungicide applications on epidemics of faba bean chocolate spot, yield and yield components of faba bean, and sole and intercrop systems productivity. The experiment was randomised complete block design in a factorial combination of two faba bean cultivars, two cropping systems (Hachalu- and local-barley intercropping in 2:1 ratio) and four levels of fungicide (Chlorothalonil) spray and integration in three replications of faba bean and barley, respectively. Cultivars and spray intervals significantly (p?<?.01) affected the seed yield while cultivars alone had significant variation (p?<?.01) on 100-seed weight as a main effect. Therefore, 21-days fungicide spray intervals integrated with Hachalu sole and Hachalu-barley intercropping may be considered for chocolate spot management.     

Bleomycin induces delayed instability of interstitial telomeric sequences in Chinese hamster ovary cells

We analyzed the behavior of interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) in the progeny of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells exposed to the radiomimetic compound bleomycin (BLM) in order to determine if ITSs play some role in the long-term clastogenic effect of this antibiotic. To this end, CHO cells were treated with a single concentration of BLM (2.5μg/ml), and the frequency of unstable chromosomal aberrations was determined at several times after treatment (18h, and 6, 15 and 34/36 days) by using PNA-FISH with a pan-telomeric probe [(TTAGGG)n repeats]. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a higher frequency of aberrations at 18h and 6 days after treatment in BLM-exposed cultures vs. untreated cultures, although the yield of BLM-induced aberrations decreased on average five times 6 days after treatment compared with the one induced 18h after treatment. Moreover, no significant differences in the frequency of aberrations were observed between untreated and BLM-exposed cells at 15 or 34/36 days after treatment. These data indicate that, in terms of unstable aberrations, the in vitro clastogenic effect of BLM on CHO cells persists for at least 6 days but less than 15 days after exposure. In addition, we found that BLM induces ITSs instability, cytogenetically detectable as acentric fragments (18h after treatment) or additional (new) FISH signals (6 days after treatment). We propose that the delayed effect of BLM on ITSs mainly results from breakage of heterochromatic ITSs blocks and further insertion of these sequences at the sites of monochromatid breaks occurring at G2 phase of the cell cycle, since most of the additional FISH signals were present as single dots and located at interstitial sites of the involved chromosomes.     

Yield loss of faba bean (Vicia faba) due to chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae) in sole and mixed cropping systems in Ethiopia

Two field experiments were conducted during 2004 and 2005 cropping seasons at Adet Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia to assess yield losses caused by chocolate spot(Botrytis fabae) of faba bean in sole and mixed cropping systems using two cultivars. Cropping systems were sole faba bean (FB), faba bean mixed with field pea (FB: FP), barley (FB: BA) and maize (FB: MA). Mancozeb was sprayed at the rate of 2.5 kg a.i/ha at 7-, 14- and 21-day interval to generate different levels of chocolate spot disease in all the four cropping systems, and unsprayed control was also included. The treatments were arranged in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. FB: MA mixed cropping significantly reduced disease severity and the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and increased faba bean grain yield. The highest faba bean grain yield among the three mixed croppings under different spray schedules was obtained from FB: MA mixed cropping in both 2004 and 2005 (2.56 and 3.74 t/ha, respectively) cropping seasons. There were highly significant yield differences (P < 0.05) among the spray intervals of mancozeb in both seasons. The highest grain yield (4.9 t/h) was recorded from the 7-day spray interval in 2005. The unsprayed faba bean had a lower grain yield (1.9 t/ha in 2004 and 2.3 t/ha in 2005) compared to the sprayed plots. The highest relative yield loss (67.5%) was calculated in 2005 from FB: FP mixed cropping in unsprayed plots. The relative yield losses in the unsprayed plots were in the range of 35.8–41.5% in 2004 and 52.6–67.5% in the 2005 cropping season. Severity and AUDPC were inversely correlated with faba bean grain yield. Significant differences were recorded in the 100-seed weight and days to maturity (DM). The unsprayed plots had shorter DM ranging from 126 to 128.5 day (except FB: MA mixed cropping) in 2004 and 122–123.9 days in 2005. In the sprayed plots DM was relatively longer than the unsprayed plots. A higher seed weight was recorded in the sole FB (56 g) and FB: MA (55 g) mixed cropping, and the lowest value of 100-seed weight was recorded from FB: FP (53 g) mixed cropping. The productivity of the mixed cropping evaluated by land equivalent ratio (LER) exceeded that of sole cropping. Faba bean grain yield was highly influenced by the severity of chocolate spot. The disease affects the DM, forcing early maturing of the plants.     

Persistence of drug-induced chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of the rat

We have studied the persistence of pre-clastogenic lesions, detected as induced chromosomal aberrations, in rat peripheral lymphocytes at various time intervals after acute treatment with 3 different antineoplastic drugs: cyclophosphamide (CPA), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and adriamycin (AM). Single i.p. doses were administered to groups of rats and heart blood samples from each group were taken after 3, 12, 24 or 48 h or weekly up to 20 weeks later. The cytogenetic analysis was performed on lymphocytes cultured for 33 h after sampling. The results for CPA exposure (10 mg/kg) show that the yield of chromosome aberrations is maximal 3 h after the treatment (20 times the control level). For up to 8 weeks the values remain about 6 times the baseline; afterwards a decrease is observed and the control level is reached after 20 weeks. For 5-FU (50 mg/kg) a remarkable increase (13-fold) in chromosomal damage is observed at the first sampling time. Within 48 h the effect is drastically reduced but persistent (3 times the control level), and the level returns to spontaneous values 1 week later. AM treatment (2 mg/kg) induced an increase of about 8 times the control level at 3 h post exposure. The clastogenic effects remained at a detectable level for 1 week (about 6 times the control level at all sampling times); 2 weeks after the treatment the control level was found. A parallel analysis was performed on bone marrow cells. In this tissue the clastogenic effects of the treatments were maximal, as in lymphocytes, at the first sampling time (20-25 times the control level) and were no longer detectable within 72 h after exposure, irrespective of the administered drug.     

小麦/蚕豆间作作物生长曲线的模拟及种间互作分析

物种间的相互作用与间作产量优势的形成密切相关,但很少有人注意到种间互作动态.本研究通过2年田间定位试验,运用Logistic分析模拟了不同种植模式(小麦单作、蚕豆单作和小麦/蚕豆间作)和不同磷水平下[P₀,施磷量(P₂O₅)为0 kg·hm^-2(对照);P₁,施磷量(P₂O₅)为45 kg·hm^-2;P₂,施磷量(P₂O₅)为90 kg·hm^-2]单间作小麦、蚕豆的生长模型,分析了作物种间互作的动态变化.结果表明: 小麦/蚕豆间作使小麦产量提高了10.5%~18.6%,蚕豆产量却降低了4.8%~12.3%,但间作系统仍具有产量优势,土地当量比(LER)和相对拥挤系数(K)分别为1.01~1.15 和1.12~3.20.小麦和蚕豆的产量及关键生长参数均受磷水平调控,但LER和K并不受磷水平影响.与单作相比,间作小麦的最大生长速率(R_max)和最初生长速率(r)分别提高21.8%~38.7%和20.7%~38.9%,但间作对蚕豆的关键生长参数无影响.在小麦、蚕豆的生长初期,不同磷水平下,单间作作物的生长曲线无差异;间作群体以种间竞争为主,无间作生物量优势(LER<1,K<1).当蚕豆达到最大生长速率(T_max)后,间作显著提高了小麦的生长速率,降低了小麦的种内竞争压力,表现出间作生物量和产量优势(LER>1,K>1).总之,在不同的生长发育阶段,小麦、蚕豆的相互作用不同,间作提高了中后期小麦的生长速率,为间作优势的形成奠定了基础.