Abstract
The meiotic effects of the insecticide 0, 0-diethyl 0-3, 5, 6-trichloro-2 pyridyl phosphorothioate “Dursban” were studied. Vicia faba plants (V. Giza I) were sprayed with aqueous saturated “Dursban” solution for different periods of time, at the seedling and flowering stages. All the treatments induced a significant percentage of abnormal pollen mother cells (PMCs/plant). The perentage of the induced abnormalities decreased from the 1st to the 2nd meiotic division, and neither tetrads nor pollen grains were affected. The most dominant type of the observed anomalies was chromosome stickiness in the different meiotic stages. Its percentage reached more than 90% of the observed abnormal PMCs in most of the conducted treatments. Disturbed meta- and anaphase II, lagging chromosomes, chromosome fragmentation, micronuclei and anaphase bridges were observed, however, in a low percentage.
