Skip to main content

Role of gamma irradiation in regulation of NO3 level in rocket (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa) plants

Abstract

The changes in the growth indices and certain metabolic activities in response to different doses of γ-irradiation (0, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Gy) were studied, using rocket seedlings. The total yield, seed mass, and essential oil content increased significantly by 20 Gy dose of γ-irradiation as compared with the control samples. In addition, total sugars, total free amino acids, total soluble phenols, kinetin, GA3, nitrate reductase activity, and total protein increased significantly at 20 Gy dose. Meanwhile, NO3 content decreased significantly at 20 Gy dose. The nitrogen and potassium content increased at the same dose of gamma rays of 20 Gy. While the phosphorus content showed no significant effect at all the γ-irradiation doses used. The results obtained in this work revealed that the most effective dose was 20 Gy of gamma rays. It was suggested that pretreatment of rocket seeds before planting with 20 Gy dose of γ-irradiation, may oppose the harsh effect of NO3 accumulation and increased the quality and quantity of rocket yield.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Abbreviations

GII:

Germination Irradiation Index

fed.:

feddan

NR:

nitrate reductase

References

  1. Blom-Zandstra, M., Nitrate Accumulation in Vegetables and Its Relationship to Quality, Ann. Appl. Biol., 1989, vol. 155, pp. 553–561.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kheir, N.F. and Hanafy, A.H., Abpu El-Hassan, and Harb, E.M., Physiological Studies on Hazardous Nitrate Accumulation in Some Vegetables, Bull. Fac. Agric. Univ. Cairo, 1991, vol. 42, pp. 557–576.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hanafy, A.H., Kheir, N.F., and Talaat, N.B., Physiological Studies on Reducing the Accumulation of Nitrate in Jews Mallow (Corchorus olitorius) and Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) Plants, Bull. Fac. Agric. Univ. Cairo, 1997, vol. 48, pp. 25–64.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Gangolli, S.D., van den Brandt, P.A., Feron, V.J., Janzowsky, C., Koeman, J.H., Speijers, G.J.A., Spiegelhalder, B., Walker, R., and Winshnok, J., Nitrate, Nitrite and N-Nitroso Compounds, Eur. J. Pharmacol. Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol. Sec., 1994, vol. 292, pp. 1–38.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Patskevich, V.M., Conference on Seed Irradiation Prior to Sowing, Sov. J. Atom. Energy, 1961, vol. 10, pp. 549–551.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Korystov, Y.N. and Narimanov, A.A., Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation and Hydrogen Peroxidase Stimulate Plant Growth, Biologia (Bratislava), 1997, vol. 52, pp. 121–124.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sagan, L.A., What Is Hormesis and Why Haven’t We Heard It before? Health Physiol., 1987, vol. 52, pp. 521–525.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sjodin, J., Some Observations in X1 and X2 of Vicia faba L. after Treatment with Different Mutagenes, Hereditas, 1962, vol. 48, pp. 565–573.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Abo-Hegazi, A.M.T., Ragab, A.I., and Moustafa, A.K., Heritability and Genetic Variability for Some Characters of Sunflower in M3 and M4 Generation after Irradiation, Minufia J. Agric. Res., 1988, vol. 13, pp. 3–15.

    Google Scholar 

  10. El-Shafie, S.A., Mazrou, M.M., El-Kholy, S.A., and Sayed, S.A., Physiological Influence of Pre-Sowing Gamma Irradiation on the Growth, Drug Yield and Some Chemical Constituents of Ammi visnage L. Plants, Minufia J. Agric. Res., 1993, vol. 18, pp. 2565–2578.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hegazey, A.T., Moursi, H.A., and Youssef, E., Hormonal Picture of Cowpea Seeds as Affected by Gamma Irradiation and Soaking in Water or GA3 Solution, Egypt. J. Physiol. Sci., 1990, vol. 14, pp. 19–34.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Guenther, E., The Essential Oils, vol. 4, New York: van Nostrand Reinhold, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cataldo, D.A., Haroon, M., Schrader, T.E., and Youngs, V.L., Rapid Colorimetric Determination of Nitrate in Plants Tissue by Nitration of Salicylic Acid, Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Ann., 1975, vol. 6, pp. 71–80.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lindblad, P. and Guerrero, M.G., Nitrogen Fixation and Nitrate Reduction, Photosynthesis and Production in a Changing Environment: A Field and Laboratory Manual, Hall, D.O., et al., Eds., London: Chapman and Hall, 1993, pp. 299–312.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Virginia, Wilson: A.O.A.C. Publ., 1990, vol. 1, pp. 17–22.

  16. Prokopy, W.R., Phosphorus in Acetic Acid Extracts, Quickchem Method, Manual Lachat Instr. Milwaukee, USA, 1995, no. 12-115-01-1-C.

  17. Miller, R.O., Nitric-Perchloric Acid Wet Digestion in an Open Vessel, Handbook of Reference Methods for Plant Analysis, Kalra, Y.P., Ed., Boca Raton: CRC, 1998, pp. 57–61.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Harborne, J.B., Phytochemical Methods, London: Chapman and Hall, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Schuster, R., Determination of Amino Acids in Biological, Pharmaceutical, Plant and Food Samples by Automated Precolumn Derivatization and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, J. Chromatogr., 1988, vol. 431, pp. 271–284.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tripathi, R.D., Srivastava, G.P., Misra, M.S., and Pandey, S.C., Protein Content in Some Varieties of Legumes, The Allah Abad Farmer, 1971, vol. 16, pp. 291–294.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Shindy, W. and Orrin, S., Identification of Plant Hormones from Cotton Ovules, Plant Physiol., 1975, vol. 55, pp. 550–554.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Snedecor, G.W., and Cochran, W.G., Statistical, Methods, Ames, Iowa: State Univ. Press, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Georgieva, I.D., Cytochemical Investigation of Pollen Tubes after Gamma Irradiation. II. Effect of the Irradiation on Quinone Formation, Phytomorphology, 1987, vol. 37, pp. 159–163.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Zeid, I.M., Gharib, F.A., and Abou El-Ghate, H.M., Response of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) to Gamma Irradiation and Gibberellic Acid Treatments, Pakistan J. Biol. Sci., 2001, vol. 4, pp. 805–808.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sheverov, V.V., Levdanskaya, V.V., Goncharova, I.V., and Goponenko, V.I., Radiobiological Effects in Pea Seedlings Exposed to External Gamma Radiation, Dokl. Akad. Nauk Belarusi, 1992, vol. 36, p. 1018.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Muller, B. and Touraine, B., Inhibition of NO3 Uptake by Various Phloem-Translocated Amino Acids in Soybean Seedlings, J. Exp. Bot., 1992, vol. 43, pp. 617–623.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Imsande, J. and Touraine, B., N Demand and the Regulation of Nitrate Uptake, Plant Physiol., 1994, vol. 105, pp. 3–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Seginer, I., van Straten, G., and Buwalda, F., Nitrate Concentration in Greenhouse Lettuce: A Modeling Study, Acta Hort., 1998, vol. 456, pp. 189–197.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Shamsi, S.R.A. and Sofajy, S.A., Effects of Low Doses of Gamma Radiation on the Growth and Yield of Two Cultivars of Broad Bean, Environ. Exp. Bot., 1980, vol. 20, pp. 87–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Thimmaiah, S.K., Mahadevu, P., Srinivasappa, K.N., and Shankara, A.N., Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Seed Germination and Seedling Vigor in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), J. Nucl. Agric. Biol., 1998, vol. 27, p. 142.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Nouri, J. and Toofanian, F., Extension of Storage of Onions and Potatoes by Gamma Irradiation, Pakistan J. Biol. Sci., 2001, vol. 4, pp. 1275–1278.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Inayatullah, M.A., Bakhtaire, A., and Ismail, K., Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Physicochemical Characteristics of Soybean, Nucleus (Pakistan), 1987, vol. 24, pp. 31–34.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Abbas, S.M., Some Physiological Effect of Gamma Radiation on Lupinus termis Seedlings, M. Sci. Thesis, Bot. Dep. Fac. Sci. Menoufia Univ., 1994.

  34. Pandey, K.N. and Sabharwal, P.S., γ-Irradiation Activates Biochemical Systems: Induction of Nitrate Reductase Activity in Plant Callus, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1982, vol. 79, pp. 5460–5464.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Haeder, H.E. and Beringer, H., Influence of Potassium Nutrition and Water Stress on the Content of Abscisic Acid in Grains and Flag Leaves of Wheat during Grain Development, J. Sci. Food Agric., 1981, vol. 32, pp. 552–556.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Ali, A.A., Ikeda, M., and Yamada, Y., Absorption, Translocation and Assimilation of Ammonium and Nitrate-Nitrogen in Rice Plants as Affected by the Supply of Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium, J. Fac. Agric. Kyushu Univ., 1985, vol. 30, pp. 113–124.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Hanafy, A.H., Effect of Foliar Application of Some Chemicals on Sex Expression of Squash Plants, J. Agric. Sci. (Mansoura Univ.), 1997, vol. 22, pp. 697–717.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Minott, P.L. and Peck, N.H., Nitrate Accumulation in Vegetables, Adv. Agron., 1976, vol. 28, pp. 71–118.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hageman, R.H. and Flesher, D., Nitrate Reductase Activity in Com Seedlings as Affected by Light and Nitrate Content of Nutrient Media, Plant Physiol., 1960, vol. 35, pp. 700–708.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Reinink, K., Groenwold, R., and Bootsma, A., Genotypical Differences in Nitrate Content in Lactuca sativa L. and Related Species and Correlation with Dry Matter Content, Euphytica, 1987, vol. 36, pp. 11–18.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helal Ragab Moussa.

Additional information

Published in Russian in Fiziologiya Rastenii, 2006, Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 215–219.

The text was submitted by the author in English.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moussa, H.R. Role of gamma irradiation in regulation of NO3 level in rocket (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa) plants. Russ J Plant Physiol 53, 193–197 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443706020075

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443706020075

Key words