Malathion exposed seeds of Vigna sinensis (L): change in mitochondrial respiration, swelling and contraction, leakage of NAD and mitochondrial membrane bound ATPase and pyrophosphatase activities

Malathion exposure at a concentration above 50 ppm elicited some alteration in the respiratory, swelling and contraction characteristics of mitochondria in the roots of 72 hr germinating seeds of Vigna sinensis (L). Change in these parameters is reflected by seedling growth characteristics of V. sinensis (L). The alteration of mitochondria by malathion (above 50 ppm) is also supported by the experiments which showed a marked leakage of NAD from the intra‐mitochondrial pool and a change in the activities of mitochondrial membrane bound ATPase and acid pyrophosphatase activities. Some change of sterol and phospholipid patterns in the associated mitochondrial membrane are also observed in the roots of the 72 hr germinating seeds of V. sinensis (IS) under malathion exposure (above 50 ppm).

Key words:

• malathion
• seeds
• mitochondria
• membrane