Effect of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) on Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and Induced Asynaptic Mutation: A Meiotic Study

We have synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and studied the cytogenotoxic effect of the synthesized NPs on plants. The synthesized NPs were characterized by XRD, SEM and PSA. The XRD results showed the formation of crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles. The SEM analysis showed that the synthesized nanoparticles range from 60 to 300 nm. The effect of synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles on Vicia faba (2n = 12) was studied. The seeds of Vicia faba were treated with different concentrations (15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg/L, or 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 12.0 and 24.0 mg/100 mL) of TiO2 nanoparticles. Seeds treated with the higher concentrations of TiO2 showed a change in the meiotic activity which causes a significant increase of chromosomal abnormalities in the reproductive parts of the plant. Different types of meiotic abnormalities, such as stickiness and the separation of univalent and bivalent chromosomes at metaphase were recorded. It was found that the number of univalent chromosomes ranged from 2 to 12 in 95% of pollen mother cells in diakinesis/metaphase I, and that there was a significant decrease in the number of chiasmata in seeds which were treated with the synthesized nanoparticles as compared to the control.