Effect of Glyphosate Formulation on Sperm Motility in Blue Gourami Trichopodus Trichopterus

Abstract

Pesticides are the major environmental pollutants, which contaminate the elements of the aquatic and terrestrial environments they are applied in, such as crops and soil. Globally, herbicides account for approximately 50% of all pesticides used. The present study is undertaken to investigate the effects of invitro exposure of glyphosate formulation on sperm motility in the freshwater fish, Trichopodus trichopterus. The environmental concentrations of glyphosate ranged from 0.09 to 1.7mg mg a.e./L in pond water and 0.26 to 19 mg a.e./L in pond sediments. The glyphosate formulation used for the present study is Glyphosate 41% S. L (GLYPHO). The effect of glyphosate formulation on sperm motility was assessed by preparing stock solution of 500 ppm from which test solutions with 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 20 ppm concentrations were prepared by serial dilution. The results of the study revealed that exposure to Glyphosate formulation drastically reduced percentage of motile sperms as well as duration of motility in the activation medium. In the control group, percentage of motile spermatozoa was 86% which immediately reduced to 76% in 0.01 ppm and lowest percentage of motile spermatozoa was 36% observed at 10ppm. The control group had duration of motility of 55.66± 2.80 secs which immediately dropped to 44.66± 2.67 secs in 0.01ppm and lowest duration of motility was obtained at 10ppm (34.33± 2.14secs). Therefore, results of the present study suggest that even low concentrations of the Glyphosate, causes deleterious effects on Trichopodus trichopterus spermatozoa, particularly in terms of percentage and duration of motility.