Environment and Plant: Effect of Nuclear Radiation

Branislav R. Jovanić1, Miroslav D. Dramićanin,2 Ana M. Kapidžić2, and Mirjana Ž. Sarvan3

1 Institute of Physics, University of Belgrade, Zemun, Serbia and Montenegro
2 Laboratory for Radiation Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinča”, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Corresponding author: Dr Branislava Jovanić
    Laboratory for Multidisciplinary Research
    Center for Experimental Physics
    Institute of Physics
    Pregrevica 118. P.O.Box 68
    11080 Zemun, Serbia and Montenegro
    Telephone: 381 11 3160 260
    Fax number: 381 11 3162 190
    E-mail: brana@phy.bg.ac.yu

CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 103–109

Key words:
Radiation effects, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthesis

Abstract:
Bean and pumpkin were exposed to low doses of gamma radiation. Fluorescence measurements are made to investigate gamma radiation-induced changes in plants, particularly in the photosynthetic apparatus. Even at the lowest dose, the results indicated that the effects of irradiation could clearly be observed in chlorophyll fluorescence spectra. In both plant species, this effect was manifested in altered fluorescence spectra revealing decreased capacity of energy stored in the primary products of photosynthesis Wph.

Received: 1 August 2003
Accepted: 5 December 2003
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