title: Studies the effects of low dose of gamma rays on the behaviour of chickpea under various conditions.
abstract: In this study, the irradiation effects spring chickpea seeds with low doses (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 Gy) of radioactive cobalt (60Co) gamma-rays, on the germination characteristics as well as on the root and shoot growth, are investigated. The effects of such irradiation doses on the relative water content and cell membrane stability following a water deficit, are also studied. The irradiated seeds kept their germination speed and capacity in Petri dishes. On Murashige and Skoog (MS) liquid medium, the dose of 15 Gy induced a significant improvement (nearly 20%) in root length as compared with the 0 Gy dose. Under glass house conditions, the root and shoot lengths and dry weights of plants grown from seeds irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy, are found to be improved at rates of 19 and 89%, respectively when compared with plants issued from non-irradiated seeds. The same irradiation dose allowed the plants subjected to a water deficit to maintain a better water level and a more stable cell membrane as compared to the control plants.
authors.affiliation: Higher School of Agriculture of Kef, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sallami
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D029863:Cicer / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005514:Food Irradiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D018525:Germination / Q000528:radiation effects; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014867:Water