Small γ-Radiation Doses Impact in the Conditions of Controlled Micropenological Octores of Spring Barley

Abstract

Barley, characterized by early ripening, cold and drought resistance, is an important agricultural grain crop. Ionizing radiation use in the pre-sowing seed treatment technology is promising in order to control pathogens and increase the grain crops yield. The study aims at developing a microphenological sprouting phases scale of spring barley variety in Remembrance of Vyacheslav Chepelev treated with small doses of gamma radiation under controlled ontogeny conditions. The authors gave the concepts interpretation of “sprouted grain” and “grain sprouts”. To remove the dormant state of the original seeds (grains) of spring barley variety in Remembrance of Vyacheslav Chepelev harvested in 2021 and zoned in the Sverdlovsk region, a man treated it with small doses of γ-radiation ionizing (5, 10, 15 and 20 Gy) by a radiation source 60Co. The researchers developed a microphenological sprouting phases scale of spring barley grains with the dry grain phase and the micrograin phase introduced; and classification levels differentiated. A man revealed that the change in grain moisture and grain germ in all microphenophases was comparable with the results obtained during barley sprouting. The most intensive water absorption occurs at the swelling phase with an increase in grain moisture by 2.7 times and in the embryo by 9.3 times. Spring barley grains radiostimulation has an impact on the grain sprouting due to increased germination energy. The authors determined that after 5 days there was a maximum increase in the germination capacity to (92 ± 2) % and (94 ± 2) % in barley grains samples treated with doses of 5 and 10 Gy, respectively, with lower values when processing grains with doses of 15 Gy and 20 Gy. A man ascertained inhibitory effect of a radiation dose of 20 Gy. Despite a higher germination energy index of 75 % in barley grains treated with a dose of 20 Gy, and unlike untreated grains – 74 %, the germination ability in radiation-treated grains was 4 % lower. The germination rate of the first seed is 3 days on average.