[Effect of space flight on ultrastructure in medicinal plant Datura innoxia Mill].

OBJECTIVE: To substantiate the effect of space environment on medicinal plants. METHOD: The seeds of Datura innoxia were set up in retrievable satellites. After returning to earth, the ultrastructural changes were observed by means of electron microscope. RESULTS: In cells of weightless group and hit group, some changes were found in chloroplast grana, starch grains and vesicles in chloroplasts. No obvious changes were observed in nuclei. CONCLUSION: Space environment has some effect on the ultrastructure in D. innoxia, and chloroplast is more sensitive to space environment than other organs.