The cytogenetic and phytotoxic assessment of the anti-icing material on onion assay (Allium cepa)

Allium cepa assay is one of the relevant methods for the cytogenetic analysis. Today modern anti-icing reagents seem to be unstudied in the field of cytogenetics studies. The aim of the experiment is to study the phytotoxic and cytogenetic activity of multi-component anti-icing material using an onion Allium cepa. We researched anti-icing concentrations in the range of from 1 to 100 g/l. The test object was onion «Stuttgarter risen» variety couched in anti-icing solutions during the 72 hours. According to the assessment of phytotoxic effects, there was estimated the number of roots, the length of the longest root and the length of all roots for the every onion plant. The parallel experiment included the phytotoxic research of the same anti-icing using wheat seeds according to method MR 2.1.7.2297-07. Every onion roots were cut away, fixed, painted and pressured for microscopic analysis for the purposes of the cytogenetic research. About 2000 cells were analyzed for each onion. We estimated the number of mitosis per 1000 cells (mitotic index, ‰) and the proportion of cells in each phase of mitosis by the total number of dividing cells (%). For the analysis of cytogenetic damage using micronucleus test that provided the estimation of micronucleus, protrusions, and binuclear cells. An ana-telophase analysis included the estimation of fragments bridges and lagging chromosomes. As a result of analysis of the roots growth, we founded acting concentrations (2; 4; 10 and 100 g/l) and in-acting ones (1.3 and 1). The experiment showed the similar susceptibility of the onion and wheat root response. The mitosis analysis showed that concentrations from 1 to 1.3 g/l increased a mitosis activity and concentration of 10 g/l provided the decline of mitosis. There were no cytogenetic defects in all studied concentrations.