Detrimental Upshot of Different Concentrations of Endosulfan on Growth and Lipid Peroxidation of Aquatic Pteridophyte Azolla microphylla

In the last decades, the use of insecticides in agriculture for selective control of pests has become crucial. Researches have produced a diverse range of products with novel modes of action. However, the extensive use of these compounds in the agriculture system raises public concern, because of the harmful potential of such substances in the environment and human health.When Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide, (0-400ppm), was added to an exponentially growing medium and the effects on Azolla microphylla were followed for 6 days, the following observations were made: Dry weight, Root number, root length, total chlorophyll and Carotenoid content decreased as compared to the control. Carotenoid content decreased more than chlorophyll content. These changes paralleled the inhibition of the rate of net photosynthesis, suggesting that the photosynthetic apparatus is one of the primary targets of the insecticide action. Insecticide exposure resulted in the reduction of relative growth rate at all the applied dose concentrations. An increase in the doubling time was also noticed which is an indication of delayed growth. Furthermore, Endosulfan induced the formation of MDA indicating enhanced Lipid peroxidation. Overall the effect of endosulfan was dose dependent. Since plants are sessile organisms and have limited mechanisms for insecticide application avoidance they need flexible means for acclimatization to changing environmental conditions. Hence in order to improve a plant protection, this kind of researches may be fruitful in understanding of mechanisms contributing to effect of endosulfan on plant system