INFLUENCE OF DEOXYNIVALENOL ON MITOSIS OF ROOT-TIP CELLS OF WHEAT SEEDLINGS

The effect of deoxynivalenol (DON) a phytotoxic metabolite of Fusarium spp. on germination capacity an on cells actively dividing in root ti p of winter wheat cultivars was examined. Treatment of wheat seeds wit h DON solution 10 mug/mL caused reduction of germination capacity. Mar ked differences were found between seedlings treated with DON and cont rol in mitotic activity and chromosome aberrations level. Mitotic acti vity was lower in the seedlings treated with DON comparative to the co ntrol. Treatment seeds and seedlings with deoxynivalenol caused the in crease of about ten times the percentage of chromosome aberrations in the root tip cells in all 7 cultivars examined.