African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12487

Article in Press

Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and toxicity of plant biostimulants

Ana Paula Soares e Silva1, Tamires de Sousa Silva1, Amanda de Almeida dos Santos2; Karoline Griebler Ribeiro2; Márcia Maria Mendes Marques3, Pedro Marcos de Almeida1,4, Ana Paula Peron1,5

  •  Received: 22 October 2019
  •  Accepted: 19 December 2019
The great expansion that in recent years has been in the use of plant biostimulants has underestimated the possibility of producing environmental risks. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and toxicity of three different biostimulants (widely marketed in Brazil and exported to other countries) – A, B and C - on both plant and animal indicator organisms. In A. cepa, the concentrations evaluated for the products A and B (0.0625 at 0.500 mL/L), and C (0.0625 at 0.500 g/L) induced inhibition of cell proliferation on meristems, in at least one considered time of analysis, characterizing them as cytotoxic. A, B and C did not induce cellular changes and were not genotoxic. In the test with A. salina, different concentrations of the biostimulants were tested, ranging from 1000 - 1.95 ppm and the toxic potential was evaluated through the LC50. The three products showed high toxicity (LC50 <100 ppm) against microcrustaceans.

Keywords: Cell changes, Cell changes, Mitotic index, Mortality, Plant regulator.