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Effects of Ionizing Radiations on Plant Tissues. V. Some Effects of Gamma Radiation on Lettuce Leaves a
Author(s) -
MASSEY L. M.,
TALLMAN D. F.,
KERTESZ Z. I.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1961.tb00378.x
Subject(s) - softening , ionizing radiation , irradiation , radiation , chemistry , radiochemistry , respiratory system , respiration , cobalt 60 , stimulation , horticulture , carbon dioxide , gamma ray , dose rate , biophysics , biology , botany , materials science , anatomy , optics , physics , endocrinology , organic chemistry , astrophysics , nuclear physics , composite material
SUMMARY The effect of gamma radiation from a Cobalt 60 source upon lettuce tissue was studied. The radiation‐induced softening of leaf discs was assessed with an instrument designed to measure the bending of the disc under application of a given weight. It is estimated that the “threshold dose” of radiation‐induced softening of lettuce is between 600 and 1,000 Kilorad. Lettuce leaf tissue thus appears more resistant to the softening effect of gamma radiation than the storage‐type tissues of apples, carrots, or beets. The radiation‐induced changes in the respiratory activity of lettuce were also studied, both during and after irradiation. Although both oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide evolution are stimulated during irradiation, the response subsides to near‐normal rates shortly after irradiation is stopped. There is some indication that the magnitude of the respiratory rate stimulation response is based primarily upon dose rate. A comparison of softening and respiratory rate measurements indicates that the tissue softening is probably not directly related to the respiratory stimulation that occurs during gamma irradiation.