TOXICITY OF CYANIDE ON DEVELOPMENTAL AND REPRODUCTIVE STAGES OF DROSOPHILA

ABSTRACT

This study used fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to examine the effects of cyanide poisoning from cashew nut extract on development and reproduction from a toxicological perspective. Cyanide toxicity on D. melanogaster was conducted using Cashew nut extract. Commercially available cashew nuts were purchased in Benin city, ground to powder in the laboratory and extract obtained using distilled water. Flies were placed in six different culture vials in triplicates, fed daily with feed treated with varying concentrations of aqueous extract of cashew nut. Highest average mortality rate (32.00±0.58) was recorded in group 5 consisting of flies fed 9.2g of meal treated with 800µl of Cashew nut extract at day 28 while the lowest average mortality rate (0.33±0.88 and 0.33±0.33) was recorded in both groups 1 and 5 respectively consisting of flies fed 10g of meal (control) and 9.2g of meal treated with 800µl of Cashew nut extract at day 8 and day 2 respectively.