Effect of Gamma-Irradiation Dose on the Yield and Acute Toxicity of Seed Potato Tubers of the Meteor Variety

Abstract

The influence of the dose of presowing γ-irradiation of tubers on the anatomical and morphological structure, yield, and tasting properties of potatoes of the Meteor variety has been studied. Morphological disorders—beak-shaped and heart-shaped tubers of a large fraction and small tubers in the form of embryos—were found in potatoes grown from tubers irradiated with doses of 500–600 Gy, although no external anatomical and morphological differences were noted in the stems and leaves of potato plants in the course of the vegetative development regardless of the presowing irradiation dose of tubers. Irradiation of seed tubers with doses of 200–300 Gy led to the highest yield and profitability and the best tasting qualities of grown potatoes. Experiments on the toxicity of potato tubers irradiated with doses of 100–1500 kGy and juice released during their radiolysis with doses of 1200–5000 kGy showed no negative effect on the animals that consumed them. At the same time, the physiological processes of digestion, excretion, and metabolism in experimental animals were not inhibited and the level of glucose in their blood remained within physiological reference values. The experimentally established highest doses of γ-irradiation of potatoes and the doses of introducing aqueous dispersions of the irradiated products into mice (gram of substance per 1 kg of live weight of the animal) that did not cause clinical manifestations were 10 g/kg for powdered potato tubers irradiated with a dose of 1500 kGy and 20 g/kg for dried juice powder released in the course of irradiation of potato tubers with a dose of 2000 kGy.