Genotoxicity of Cadmium in Plants

In Vida species, the root tip micronucleus assay is well established [147,148]. Micronuclei (MN) originate from chromatin fragments or by exclusion of whole chromosomes during cell division [149,150]. Cd -treated root tips generated significant more MN than untreated controls at different experimental conditions in bean and Allium sativum (1, 10, 100, and 200 pM Cd [151]), Allium cepa (10, 20, and 40 pM [152]) and also at much lower concentrations in bean (75,100, and 250 nM [153]), although in a study by Rosa et al. a significant induction of MN occurred only above 2 pM Cd [154]. A dose-dependent increase in sister 

In a study of Villatoro-Pulido et al. [155], radish was grown on metal-contaminated or control soU, harvested, and fed to larvae of Drosophila melanogaster for which the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wings is well established. Radish roots of untreated soils were not genotoxic, the ones of metal-treated soils rally at highest concentrations and all shoots of metals-treated soils caused genotoxicity in the fruitfly. To learn more about the genotoxic potential of cadmium, like threshold values, in plants and their consumers is therefore important. 

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