Gamma Radiation Effects on Plant Growth and Development

Gamma radiation, a high‐energy form of ionising radiation, interacts with plant tissues to produce a spectrum of biological effects that depend on dose, dose rate and the developmental stage of the plant. At high doses, DNA strand breaks, chromosomal aberrations and cell division arrest lead to reduced germination, stunted growth, impaired photosynthesis and reproductive failure. Conversely, low to moderate doses can trigger adaptive responses—often termed hormesis—characterised by enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, improved stress tolerance and, in some cases, beneficial mutagenesis underpinning the development of novel traits. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ensuing oxidative stress are central to these responses, activating defence pathways involving catalase, peroxidases and superoxide dismutase. Mutation breeding exploits this duality by applying calibrated gamma doses to induce genetic variability for crop improvement, from yield enhancement to abiotic stress resistance. Progress in this field spans cytogenetic analyses, biochemical profiling and molecular assays to fine‐tune dose regimens, minimise deleterious effects and maximise desirable mutations. Practical applications have emerged in horticulture, cereals and underutilised crops, reflecting global efforts to harness gamma radiation for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Work on grape cuttings has precisely quantified lethal dose (LD25, LD50, LD75) and growth‐reduction metrics in a commercially important variety, revealing that a 30 Gy gamma dose optimises mutagenesis with manageable impacts on leaf area, stem height and root biomass. Such dose‐response profiling informs breeding programmes seeking novel grapevine phenotypes. In wheat, experiments combining varying seed moisture contents (7–19 %) with doses up to 400 Gy demonstrated that germination and seedling vigour peak when moisture is controlled at 13 % and irradiation at 400 Gy, whereas moderate doses (200–300 Gy) enhance the expression of antioxidant enzymes, offering a strategy to balance growth reduction with induced genetic diversity. As a seminal contribution, studies on highland barley under heavy metal stress showed that low‐dose (50 Gy) gamma irradiation diminishes oxidative damage, restores chloroplast ultrastructure and upregulates genes involved in metal transport and stress signalling, pointing to gamma treatment as a tool to mitigate soil‐borne toxicity and improve crop resilience.

Gamma Radiation Effects on Plant Growth and Development publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in gamma radiation effects on plant growth and development across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Gray (Gy): SI unit measuring absorbed radiation dose.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): highly reactive molecules generated by radiation that can damage cellular components.
Antioxidant Enzymes: proteins (e.g. catalase, peroxidase) that neutralise ROS and mitigate oxidative stress.
Mutation Breeding: the deliberate use of radiation to induce genetic variation for crop improvement.

References

1. Determination of optimum dose based of biological responses of lethal dose (LD25, 50, 75) and growth reduction (GR25, 50, 75) in ‘Yaghouti’ grape due to gamma radiation. Scientific Reports (2023).
2. Application of gamma irradiation on morphological, biochemical, and molecular aspects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different seed moisture contents. Scientific Reports (2022).
3. Physio-biochemical and molecular mechanism underlying the enhanced heavy metal tolerance in highland barley seedlings pre-treated with low-dose gamma irradiation. Scientific Reports (2017).
4. Influence of Increased Radiation Background on Antioxidative Responses of Helianthus tuberosus L.. Antioxidants (2023).
5. Effects of Acute and Chronic Gamma Irradiation on the Cell Biology and Physiology of Rice Plants. Plants (2021).