Genotoxicity evaluation of low doses of clodinafop-propargyl to the silkworm Bombyx mori using alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis

In the present study, DNA damage caused by clodinafop-propargyl was evaluated in silkworm, Bombyx mori, by the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE). The second, fourth and fifth instar larvae of silkworm were exposed to clodinafop-propargyl by oral feeding with mulberry leaves treated using the different concentration of 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 mg L−1, respectively. The results showed that comet percentage, the head DNA percentage, tail DNA percentage, tail length, tail moment and olive moment of the five tested groups were significantly different from the controlled group (P < 0.01). A statistically significant (olive tail moment, P < 0.01) dose-dependent increase in DNA damage was observed in silkworm. In addition, the significant dose-dependent reduce in percentage of cocooning and pupating was found in the second instar larvae of silkworm exposed to clodinafop-propargyl. To our knowledge, this was the first report describing the genotoxicity assessment of pesticide using silkworm by the alkaline SCGE.