Effect of gamma radiation on wheat plant growth due to impact on gas exchange characteristics and mineral nutrient uptake and utilization

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of gamma radiation on plant growth and development, flag leaf gas exchange characteristics such as net photosynthetic rate (P _N), stomatal conductance (g _s), and transpiration rate (E) and activity of key carbon and nitrogen assimilating enzymes like Rubisco, starch synthase (SS) and nitrate reductase (NR) in field grown wheat. Grains of cultivar PBW-343 were exposed to a ⁶⁰Co (Cobalt-60) gamma source at a dose range from 0 to 500 Gy (Gray). Gas exchange characteristics of flag leaf were measured using Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA), while mineral nutrients were analyzed spectrophotometrically. Our results show that an irradiation treatment, in general, caused an improvement in plant growth and yield characteristics such as shoot and root mass, root length and surface area, leaf area and chlorophyll SPAD index, tiller number and grain yield. However, irradiation exceeding 5 Gy reduced the magnitude of radiation advantage for most of the investigated physiological and biochemical traits. No germination was recorded at 500 Gy irradiation dose. A dose-dependant increase in shoot Fe in radiated plants up to 25 Gy reflected its higher plant root to shoot translocation which may yield micronutrient rich grains. At higher dose of 100 Gy, there was a drastic reduction in flag leaf membrane stability index (MSI), photosynthesis, Rubisco, NR, and nutrients like K, P, Mg, Fe, and Zn. Starch synthase enzyme activity was unaffected by gamma irradiation indicating that the negative effect of high dose (100 Gy) on the grain yield were caused by the adverse effect of radiation on the gas exchange attributes particularly photosynthesis, carbon, and nitrogen assimilation efficiency and the plant uptake of mineral nutrients. The study concludes that gamma radiation at a low dose (25 Gy or lower) stimulates, while a high dose (100 Gy and above) inhibits plant growth and development of wheat. The adverse effect at 100 Gy and beyond could be attributed to the poor carbon and nitrogen assimilation efficiency and the plant uptake of mineral nutrients, all of which are the ultimate determinant of plant health.