Recovery from gamma radiation injury in barley seeds

Abstract

Studies were carried out to determine the relationship and significance of seed moisture content during irradiation and post-irradiation storage periods to radiation injury. Barley seeds were equilibrated in atmospheres of known humidity to get dry, moist and wet seeds having about 3·5, 8·5 and 16·5 per cent water respectively. These seeds were exposed to ⁶⁰Co γ-rays (dose rate 2·4 krads/min) so as to cause ≈50 per cent radiation induced injury in unstored irradiated seeds. The seeds, after irradiation, were stored in various humidity atmospheres before hydration and sowing. Little modification of radiation injury occurred if the water-status of seeds, existing during irradiation, was either maintained or lowered during the post-irradiation storage period. A very conspicuous recovery was obtained by raising the water content of seeds during storage; a change from dry to wet was more effective than that from dry to moist or moist to wet.