Toxicity of endosulfan on growth, photosynthesis, and nitrogenase activity in two species of Nostoc (Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc calcicola)

Treatments of the cyanobacteria Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc calcicola with the insecticide endosulfan (5, 10, and 20 mu g mL(-1)) inhibited growth, photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic, and nitrogenase activities. The sensitivity of N. muscorum to endosulfan was higher than that of N. calcicola. The toxic effect of endosulfan was more pronounced on phycocyanin; however, a considerable reduction in chlorophyll a and carotenoids was also noticed. C-14-fixation appeared to be more sensitive to the insecticide than photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Endosulfan caused strong inhibition of photosystem (PS) II activity whereas PS I was least affected. The inhibition of PS II activity was partially restored by electron donors (DPC, NH2OH, and MnCl2) at low dose of endosulfan. Nitrogenase activity was significantly suppressed in both species by the endosulfan at high dose (20 mu g mL(-1)). On the basis of our comparative analysis, N. calcicola was found to be endosulfan resistant and can be used in paddy fields for better productivity under pesticide stress.