Abstract
This study determines the effect of γ irradiation on seed germination, growth, and morpho-anatomical traits of the Sisymbrium irio L. (London rocket) plant. Seeds irradiated with 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy of γ radiation showed a reduced germination percentage (13.68-56.84%) with reference to the control, showing an inverse relationship with radiation dose. Observations recorded at preflowering, flowering, and postflowering stages of plant growth showed a significant (P < 0.05%) dose-dependent decline in many growth parameters, such as root length, shoot length, shoot dry weight, number of leaves, and pods per plant, due to the radiation effect. However, root dry weight, leaf length, leaf dry weight, number of branches, and number of flowers per plant increased at the lowest dose (2.5 kGy) and then declined steadily with the increasing level of radiation. Likewise, several anatomical features (length of fibers and vessel elements, diameter of vessel elements, proportion of cortex, and vasculature in the stem) showed a consistent decrease with increasing γ irradiation in treated plants compared with the control. However, the pith area and the number of vessels per microscopic field decreased significantly with the lowest radiation dose (2.5 kGy) and then increased gradually with higher doses at each ontogenetic stage. The vulnerability factor in the control as well as treated plants increased with increasing plant age. In treated plants, vulnerability was higher under the effect of low-level radiation than in the control, but it showed an inverse relationship with the increasing level of radiation, thus being the lowest at 20 kGy radiation dose. Mesomorphy also showed an almost similar variation pattern with reference to the radiation dose.