Aliobe, Caku Semi2025-06-202025-06-202024-11Aliobe, C. S. (2024). Mutagenic potential of selected industrial effluents and their effects on germination, growth and yield parameters of cowpeas (Vigna Unguiculata L). Kyambogo University.https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12504/2498xiii, 120 p. : ill. (col.) ;Increasing industrialization in the developing world especially Uganda has been inevitable leading to build up of industrial effluents. The Industrial effluent composition varies depending on activity in the manufacturing process at a specific time. These industrial effluents possess temporal toxicity of unknown magnitude due to the chemical reactions that take place and this has possible mutagenic risk to the ecosystem. The study assessed the mutagenic potential of selected industrial effluents in Kinawataka Area, Kampala Uganda and their effects on germination, growth and yield parameters of Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L). The selected industrial effluents were assessed for mutagenicity using Ame’s test, the effluents were then used to intoxicate the seeds of cowpeas and thereafter, the germination, growth and yield parameters were determined on the plants in randomised experimental design. The industrial effluent from the plastic and mattress industry had the highest mutagenic potential with undiluted effluent having 32.0 (1.41) and 27.0 (1.14) revartants respectively. Aluminium products industry had the lowest mutagenicity with 12 (1.41) revartants. Regarding the germination and seedling parameters, the undiluted effluent from mattress industry caused the highest reduction in germination rate by 50 %, shoot length by 75 %, root length by 55 % and wet weight by 47 % of the seedling. The dry weight of the seedling was reduced by 22 % by effluent from pharmaceutical industry. The 25 % dilution plastic industry effluent increased shoot significantly by 38 %. The undiluted mattress effluent registered a significant reduction effect on growth and yield parameters as follows; root nodules by 26 %, number of seeds per pod by 28 % and dry weight of seeds by 18 %. The paint effluent also significantly reduced number of root nodule per plant and dry weight of seeds at dilutions of 75 % and above. Aluminium waste also registered significant effect on number of root nodules per plant and number of seeds per plant. The other effluents had no significant effect on growth and yield parameters of cowpeas at p ≤ 5 %. It was therefore established that all the industrial effluent assessed were mutagenic with varying potential. These observations were due to the fact that industrial effluents contain toxicants with varying chemicals that interact to cause such mutagenic effects, such as propylene oxide in mattress effluent which interfere with the DNA bases in order of Guanine > Adenine > Cytosine > Thymine. The government should therefore, increase surveillance of industrial effluents so as to enhance compliance and protect the environment.enIndustrial effluentsGerminationCowpeasVigna Unguiculata LThesis