To date, a large amount of data has been accumulated and summarized about the effects of ionizing radiation on plant growth and reproduction, as well as on changes caused by ionizing radiation at the genetic level. At the same time, there is a significant gap in understanding the mechanisms of the influence of ionizing radiation on the activity of biochemical and physiological processes, despite the fact that it is at this level that the basis is formed, due to which all effects appear at the level of the whole organism.

According to Professor Vladimir Vodeneev, Head of the Department of Biophysics at Lobachevsky University, the activity of physiological processes, on the one hand, determines the growth of plants, and on the other, is determined by changes at the genetic level. Thus, the study of the physiological and biochemical effects of ionizing radiation can give the most complete and comprehensive picture of the effect of ionizing radiation on plants.

“In the present study, attention is focused on the effect of radiation on the most important physiological processes, including photosynthesis, respiration, long-range transport, the functioning of the hormonal system, and biosynthesis of various compounds. Based on a large amount of experimental data, an analysis was performed of the dose and time dependences of ionizing radiation effects, which show qualitative similarity in relation to various physiological and biochemical processes. The sequence of the stages of these processes, their mechanisms and cause-effect relationships between them were examined,” Vladimir Vodeneev notes.

Source: Radiation and plants: From soil remediation to interplanetary flights