Abstract

From time to time many workers have reported the mutagenic effect of a wide range of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides when used on crop plants (Liang et al., 1967, Wuu and Grant, 1966, 1967, 1967b). However, effective dosage of the chemical which can control the weeds, pests or diseases may not be sufficient enough to cause chromosomal changes, but in higher concentrations many of these chemicals have been shown to induce chromosomal changes, aberrations and point mutations. Wuu and Grant (1967a, 1967b, 1967c) have investigated on the induction of chromosome aberrations in barley and Vicia faba. A better understanding of the cyto genetic response of plants to herbicides and their relationships to herbicidal performance would lead to the formulation of effective and safe chemical weed control. In the present study, the effect of different herbicides on germination, seedling growth, mitotic index, microsporogenesis and pollen fertility in bajra has been reported.

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