Abstract:
The aim of the research was to study genetic consequences of soil contamination with heavy metals in the zones of industrial discharges according to frequency and spectrum of visible mutations of winter wheat. Methods. The identification and record of mutation frequency and spectrum of winter wheat were carried out in generations М2 і М3. All families of the plants with changed signs were carefully examined during major stages of their growth and development. The adequacy of the difference between averages of experimental variants and the control was estimated by the standard of Student and Fisher. Result. Soil heavy metals of the industrial discharges of Burshtynska TPS, SC “Poltavchimmash”, PPC “Spetsializovanyi zavod po termichniy pererobtsi tverdyh pobutovyh vidhodiv” in the city of Kharkiv, SJC “Luhanski akumuliatory”, CC “Lubnyvodokanal” and near B. Khmelnytskyi Street in Kostiantynivka caused the increase of visible mutation frequency of winter wheat varieties Albatros odeskyi and Zymoiarka by 2.1-4.9 times. Mutation spectrum included several inherited changes which with high frequency were induced by soil contamination with heavy metals of the areas of all the studied objects: late ripening, high- and short-grown, long, dense, loose spike. Original and rare mutations were found among them: wide leaf, lack of wax film, yellow peak of a flag leaf, antocyanin spike husk, spike with twisted axis, light-green leaf. Conclusions. Soil contamination with heavy metals of industrial discharges causes considerable increase of mutation variability of winter wheat, which can be a genetic threat to living organisms. Mutation spectrum includes typical inherited changes which together with original and rare mutations can be used as indicators of industrial contamination of the environment with heavy metals.
