Exposure to chlorantraniliprole leads to genotoxicity and behavioural changes in Fejervarya limnocharis tadpoles: an in vivo approach

The prevalent use of pesticides poses noteworthy threats to biodiversity, like in amphibians, which are critical indicators of ecological health. This study investigates the genotoxic and behavioural effects of chlorantraniliprole (CAP), an anthranilic diamide insecticide, on the tadpoles of Fejervarya limnocharis. F. limnocharis that were collected from natural territories were acclimatized under laboratory conditions and exposed to different concentra tions of CAP based on 96 h LC50 values. LC50 exposes the dose-dependent toxicity in F. limnocharis. Behavioural changes were also monitored for 30 days, which highlights lethargy, reduced activity, and predator avoidance behaviours in treated groups compared to the control group. Potential genotoxic effects were also evaluated via micronucleus assays, which validated a substantial surge in erythrocyte abnormalities across different exposure periods. Similarly. statistical analyses showed a dose-dependent increase in genotoxic markers and behavioural alterations, suggesting hormonal imbalances or neurotoxic stress as p otential mechanisms that further need to study. The findings underscore CAP’s detrimental impact on tadpole survival, feeding, and physiological development, posing risks to amphibian populations in agrochemical-contaminated environments. Given the ecological significance of amphibians in pest control and food webs, the adverse effects of CAP could exacerbate population declines, affecting ecosystem stability. This study advocates for furt her research into the molecular pathways of CAP toxicity and calls for sustainable pest control alternatives to mitigate environmental and biodiversity impacts.