Effect of detoxified Aflatoxin B1 contaminated products on some in vivo and in vitro plant physiological systems

Aflatoxin B₁ was detoxified (60 %) enzymatically by horseradish peroxidase. In another set of experiments the toxin was detoxified (97 %) by a combination of enzyme and microwave treatments. Chloroform extracts of these reaction products were used to study their effects on some important physiological processes of higher plants. Cell mass growth in suspension culture of Catharanthus roseus showed 34 % and 77 % respective increase in dry weight after 4 to 8 weeks of incubation at room temperature (22 EC) without toxin but in presence of toxin only 21 % and 43 % dry weight increase occurred in the same time interval. Aflatoxin B₁ showed a profound effect on pollen germination and pollen tube morphology leading to only 40 % germination and several morphological anomalies in Catharanthus roseus and Haemanthus Katherinae. Embryogenic callus of Santalum album could give rise to only 60 % somatic embryo in presence of 1mM toxin with several abnormalities which is much less compared to 94 % conversion to distinct bipolar embryos in case of control set without toxin. Only 49 % seeds of Arachis hypogaea germinated in presence of 1mM aflatoxin in the germinating medium compared to 71 % germination in control media.