CYTOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF FUNGICIDE BAVISTIN ON THE ROOT MERISTEM OF COFFEE

Abstract

Bavistin, a systemic fungicide, was tested for its mitodepressive and antimitotic effect on coffee (Coffea arabica L.). A drastic reduction in the mitotic index occurred as the concentration and duration of treatment increased. Bavistin also influenced the frequency of mitotic phases and behaved as a potential clastogenic and turbagenic agent. The fungicide induced spindle abnormalities leading to the occurrence of C-metaphase, binucleate cells and cells with bridges, breaks, laggards and micronuclei. The recommended dosage of 0.05% was found to be quite unsafe in the present study, since this fungicide produced various forms of cell abnormalities.