Cytogenotoxic evaluation of multicomponent oxide glass-based fertilizer through bioassay with Allium cepa

• Grant number: 23/00245-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Dânia Elisa Christofoletti Mazzeo Morales
• Grantee: Letícia Cristina da Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Soil fertility is a crucial factor for plant development and, consequently, for agricultural production. Brazil, one of the largest food producers in the world, also stands out for being one of the largest consumers of fertilizers in the globe. However, obtaining these inputs related to soil fertilization has been challenging given the war scenario involving the nations from which most of this input is imported and the increase in the dollar's value. As a result, the development of more efficient national inputs, such as slow-release fertilizers, which aim, through the progressive release of nutrients, to improve their uptake by plants and, thus, generate more effective use of the inputs supplied, has been gaining emphasis. However, little attention has been given to the ecotoxicological potential of these new fertilizers. Thus, the present work aims to evaluate possible cytogenetic alterations of a slow-release multicomponent vitreous fertilizer through the bioassay with the test organism Allium cepa L. Parameters such as the cytotoxic action will be evaluated through the quantification of alterations in the mitotic index, the potential genotoxicity from the quantification of chromosomal aberrations in meristematic cells and mutagenicity by counting micronucleus in cells of the F1 region. Thus, it is expected to verify the cytogenetic safety of the evaluated slow-release multicomponent fertilizer and contribute to promoting more sustainable agriculture.