[Bimodal changes in germinability of pea seeds under the influence of low doses of gamma-radiation].

Pea seeds (cv. 'Nemchinovskii-85', harvest of 2002, 80%-germination percentage) were exposed to gamma-radiation with doses ranging from 19 cGy to 100 Gy. One week after the irradiation with doses of 19 cGy and 3 Gy. the germination percentage decreased to 58 and 45%, respectively; at doses of 7 and 10 Gy it was 73 and 70% respectively. At greater doses (25, 50, and 100 Gy), germination percentage decreased in proportion. Anomalous changes in seed germination percentage (as a function of irradiation dose) were caused by the redistribution of irradiated seeds between fractions I and II. The measurements of room temperature phosphorescence in air-dry seeds and the phosphorescence of endogenous porphyrines of imbibing seeds showen that the germination decrease after the irradiation with low doses (19 cGy and 3 Gy) was caused by the increase in the number of weak seeds of fraction II, which had high rates of water uptake and suffered from hypoxia under seed coat. Some of these seeds suffocated from hypoxia, and other seeds produced seedlings with morphological defects (such seeds were considered incapable of germination). During storage of seeds irradiated at doses 19 cGy-10 Gy, the recovery of germination percentage (after its initial decrease) was caused by the decrease in seed number in fraction II. The subsequent germination decrease was caused by seed death. The higher was the irradiation dose, the faster were changes in germination percentage during storage of irradiated seeds. Bimodal changes in pea seed germination with the increase of y-irradiation dose has apparently the same origin as the changes in seed germination during accelerated ageing.

[Evaluation of the consequences of stress factors on plant seeds growing in a 30-km zone of Balakovo AES]. / Otsenka posledstvii vliianiia stressovykh faktorov na semena rastenii, proizrastaiushchikh v 30-kilometrovoi zone Balakovskoi AES.

The effect of stress factors (small doses of radiation and maximum temperatures in the econiche of the tested plants (tmax)) as well as aging on pea seeds, both acting independently and in combination, is estimated. Here we evaluate the influence of oxidizing stress on pea seeds in the laboratory (gamma-irradiated with 7 cGy at 0.3-19.1 cGy/h, tmax approximately 30-32 degrees C) and on natural plantain seeds collected in a 30-km zone of NPP (radiation exposure approximately 15 R/h, tmax approximately 38-40 degrees C). We have mathematically modeled CAs frequencies in root seedlings meristeme by invoking an enhancing factor transmitted from cell to cell. It is shown under the stress conditions: 1) CA frequency decreases whereas the fraction of inviable seeds (IS) increases, the dependence of IS on CA frequency being inversed; 2) a stimulation of proliferation of cell was observed; 3) a bystander effect appears; 4) antioxidative status (AOS) of seeds influences on adaptation on the all levels of the organization; 5) IS increases up to 73-80% under the combined effect of radiation and heat stresses.