Effects of Glyphosate on Drosophila melanogaster Ovaries

RM 217

Glyphosate is the main ingredient in roundup that is used as an herbicide in commercial agriculture. Glyphosate has been found in runoff water and to linger in the soil after being sprayed, and has major impact on the surrounding ecosystem and the organisms that occupy the space. Glyphosate causes morphological changes within organisms. In this study I will be observing a change within Drosophila melanogaster, Canton- S, ovaries. Recently mated Drosophila exposed to the glyphosate from eclosion to mating will further mature for 3 days. At the 3-day mark, the females will be anesthetized and killed in order to dissect and measure the size of the ovaries. Following similar methods practiced through Ringo’s experiment, preliminary results suggest that nearly lethal exposure to glyphosate causes an abnormal increase of the size of the organ. The significance to an increase in ovary size would show that glyphosate does have effect on Drosophila and the reproductive system.