Genotoxicity of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid tested in somatic
and germ-line cells of Drosophila. The genotoxic potential of
2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a commonly used chlorophenoxy
herbicide, was tested in Drosophila somatic and germ-line cells
following the protocols of the wing spot test and the sex-linked
recessive lethal test. In the wing spot test second- and third-
instar larvae, carrying genetic markers mwh and flr3, were
exposed to different concentrations of the herbicide so that
induced genetic changes would be phenotypically expressed as
mosaic spots on the wings of eclosing adults. The Basc
(Muller-5) standard technique but with larval exposure was
followed for the sex-linked recessive lethal test. The results
obtained indicate that the test compound is genotoxic both in
the somatic and germ-line cells of Drosophila.