Cytogenetic damage induced by magnesium in wheat root meristems

ike other metals, magnesium can be genotoxic for plants by generation of oxygen free radicals. This metal can induce mitotic alterations chromosome breaks, achromatic lesions, chromosome aggregations, lagging chromosomes, micronuclei. Mitotic spindle modifications leading to poliploidy and aneuploidy were also evidenced. In this experiment, the effects of magnesium on wheat chromosome material were evaluated. Magnesium was administrated as magnesium sulphate (MgSO4.7H2O), for 3 hours, in four concentration variants - 1 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM �i 100 mM. The cell division was not significantly modified, comparatively to control, but the ana-telophase aberration frequency surpassed the control in all treated variants (especially in 1mM MgSO4.7H2O (26.72%) and 100 mM MgSO4.7H2O (22.44%). The most numerous abnormal metaphases were registered in 50 mM treated variant