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- Title
Gamma radiation effects on seed germination, growth and pigment content, and ESR study of induced free radicals in maize ( Zea mays).
- Authors
Marcu, Delia; Damian, Grigore; Cosma, Constantin; Cristea, Victoria
- Abstract
The effects of gamma radiation are investigated by studying plant germination, growth and development, and biochemical characteristics of maize. Maize dry seeds are exposed to a gamma source at doses ranging from 0.1 to 1 kGy. Our results show that the germination potential, expressed through the final germination percentage and the germination index, as well as the physiological parameters of maize seedlings (root and shoot lengths) decreased by increasing the irradiation dose. Moreover, plants derived from seeds exposed at higher doses (≤0.5 kGy) did not survive more than 10 days. Biochemical differences based on photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids) content revealed an inversely proportional relationship to doses of exposure. Furthermore, the concentration of chlorophyll a was higher than chlorophyll b in both irradiated and non-irradiated seedlings. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy used to evaluate the amount of free radicals induced by gamma ray treatment demonstrates that the relative concentration of radiation-induced free radicals depends linearly on the absorbed doses.
- Subjects
GAMMA rays; GERMINATION; PLANT pigments; ELECTRON paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy; FREE radicals; CHEMICAL radical spectra; CORN
- Publication
Journal of Biological Physics, 2013, Vol 39, Issue 4, p625
- ISSN
0092-0606
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10867-013-9322-z