THE EFFECT OF DIMETHOATE ON LIPID BIOSYNTHESIS IN OLIVE (OLEA-EUROPAEA) CALLUS-CULTURES

Intact olive callus cultures were used to investigate any possible eff ects which dimethoate, a commonly used organophosphorus insecticide in olive agriculture, may have on lipid synthesis. Dimethoate was applie d to the surface of callus cultures and the incorporation of radioacti vity from [C-14]acetate into acyl lipids monitored. The effect of the insecticide depended very much on its concentration. High levels (up t o 500 mu M) resulted in overall inhibition of lipid synthesis and in c hanged patterns of both lipid class and fatty acid labelling. At 10 mu M on the other hand, dimethoate had relatively little effect on norma l labelling patterns except for a reduction in incorporation into unsa turated fatty acids. The possible relevance of these findings to the a gricultural use of dimethoate are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.