1Plant Genetics Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211 002, India.
2Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Department of Botany, B.H.U., Varanasi-221 005, India.
*Corresponding author.
Root and leaf exudates of Parthenium hysterophorus were used to assess its cytotoxic effect on mitosis of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) root system. Cytotoxicity of root and leaf exudates was studied by treating chickpea roots with different concentrations of exudates along with control, which was maintained separetely. Mitotic index was inhibited while the percentage of mitotic abnormalities increased with increasing concentrations of the exudates. The root tips grown in various concentrations of both root and leaf exudates, exhibited various types of mitotic abnormalities such as chromosome fragmentation, ring metaphase, stickiness, laggards and bridges etc.
