Open AccessAllium test in front of video display units
Author(s) -
FISKESJÖ GEIRID
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
hereditas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1601-5223
pISSN - 0018-0661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-5223.1988.tb00308.x
Subject(s) - allium , biology , metaphase , centromere , front (military) , mitosis , root tip , botany , chromosome , horticulture , genetics , meteorology , physics , gene
Small bulbs of Allium cepa L. were cultivated for two days at various distances from a video display unit (computer or TV set). No effects could be observed on root growth or on the progress of normal mitosis in root tip cells. However, in a first experiment using colchicine‐treated material, metaphase chromosomes with elongated centromeres were observed in a frequency which seemed to be inversely related to the distance of the onions from the screen. In a repeated, more comprehensive experiment, this relationship could not be confirmed. Instead, the occurrence of elongated centromeres was probably due to methodological variations. Thus, no biological damage could be demonstrated when root tips of ANium cepa were grown in front of video display units.