Interaction of cobalt nanoparticles with plants: a cytogenetical aspect

In vivo cytogenetical assay in root meristems has been carried out to study the effect of cobalt and cobalt oxide nanos on active mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations of green manure crop, Sesbania pea. Nanoparticles are nanosize particles and can enter freely into the cells and can interfere in cell's normal function. Studies to justify its probable after-effects on living beings are scarce. So it is important to study its effect on living beings. For this purpose, seeds of Sesbania cannabina variety ND-1 were soaked in distilled water for 14 hours and after soaking, the seeds were treated with three different treatments, namely, nano-cobalt, nano-cobalt oxide and ethanol for three hours. The treated root meristems exhibited various types of chromosomal aberrations such as metaphasic plate distortion, unorientation at metaphase, breaking of chromosomes, fragmentation, spindle dysfunctioning, stickiness, scattering, precocious movement at metaphase and bridge, unequal separation, multiple bridge, fragmentation, scattering, laggard and unorientation at anaphase, etc.