Assessment of Toxicological Effects of Di-n-butyl phthalate to a Cereal Crop (Hordeum vulgare L.)

— Phthalates have been declared as emerging environmental pollutants and their wide array of applications made them ubiquitous in almost all of the environmental matrices. However, a number of studies have focused on phthalates induced toxicity in animal experimental models, while limited attention has been given to phthalates induced toxicity to cereal crops. Therefore, the present study investigates the phytotoxic responses of exogenous exposure of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in a cereal crop i.e. barley. The barley was exposed to different concentrations of DBP viz . 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/L for 7 days under controlled conditions. The exposure of DBP significantly altered different biochemical indices of barley seedlings which are attributed to the disturbance of normal physiological mechanisms of seedlings. It was observed that the barley seedlings were affected adversely in response to DBP stress. The exposure of DBP showed the stimulatory effect on carbohydrate, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) content of seedlings. The study also revealed that the roots were more sensitive to DBP stress than shoots of barley seedlings.