Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Compost Science and Utilization, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Vermicompost, an organic fertilizer rich in humic and fulvic acids, is derived from the decomposition of various organic materials by earthworms and can be readily absorbed by plants. This study investigated, for the first time, the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of vermicompost in Allium cepa root tip meristematic cells under in vitro tissue culture conditions. Two experimental protocols were employed: one to assess the genotoxicity of vermicompost alone, and the other to evaluate its antigenotoxic potential via pre- and post-treatment against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a known genotoxic agent. In the 24-h treatment, vermicompost significantly decreased mitotic index (MI%) at 10 μl/mL (16.34%) and 40 μl/mL (16.71%), while it increased notably at 80 μl/mL (24.16%) compared to the negative control. In contrast, all vermicompost concentrations (5–80 μl/mL) in the 48-h treatment led to a significant increase in MI. Importantly, vermicompost did not cause a significant rise in mitotic abnormalities, indicating no genotoxic effect. In the antigenotoxic assays, all concentrations of vermicompost markedly increased the mitotic index (13.64-19.89%) and reduced the frequency of mitotic abnormalities (1.50-3.40%) in both pre- and post-treatments against H2O2 alone. These findings suggest that vermicompost is not only non-genotoxic but also exhibits significant antigenotoxic and protective effects against oxidative DNA damage induced by H2O2. This supports its potential as a safe and effective bio-input in plant tissue culture and sustainable agriculture.