Radiation induced hormesis and its cytological evaluation in sunnhemp Crotalaria juncea L.

Abstract

The present study documents ionizing radiation induced hormesis and its cytological evaluation via study of microsporogenesis in Crotalaria juncea L. (sunnhemp). Morphometric traits viz. plant height, seedling height, seed yield, lateral branches, number of pods and biomass were analyzed. A concomitant study of radiation response on the cytology of the plant has been done via studying pollen mother cells at different stages of microsporogenesis. Doses used were 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 Gy with respect to control. Doses in the range of 100 to 300 Gy were shown to induce hormesis. Cytological aberrations had a stabilizing trend upto the hormetic dose but showed a sharp increase at chronic doses.