LAUSR

Abstract The extensive application of the herbicides for weed control in modern agriculture practices exerts a risk on various crop plants by way of chromosomal damage to the plants. In the current study the cytological effects of alachlor was studied in the root tip cells of maize and soybean. The maize and soybean were subjected to different concentrations of alachlor treatment (1.0–10.0 ppm and 1.0–8.0 ppm) respectively at room temperature. The mitotic index and relative division rate were decreased considerably as the herbicide concentrations increased, on the other hand the mitotic inhibition percentage and the relative abnormality rate was found to be increased as the herbicide concentration increased. The most frequently occurred chromosomal aberrations were nuclear lesion, sticky chromosome, sticky anaphase, sticky metaphase, chromosomal bridges and micronuclei. From the findings of the present study it can be concluded that alachlor might be responsible for the negative effects on cell division in maize and soybean.