Pre-sowing irradiation of annual ryegrass seeds as a way to accelerate plant growth and adaptation to adverse conditions

Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timirayzev Agricultural Academy, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: uguseva@rgau-msha.ru

Abstract

As a result of pre-sowing irradiation of annual ryegrass seeds of Rapid variety, the effect of radiobiological stimulation was obtained, which manifested in root growth and an increase in the mass of seedlings and was most observed at a dose of γ-irradiation of 4 Gy. A similar effect when germinating seeds after storage for 90 days was obtained at higher doses of seed irradiation – 10 and 15 Gy; a dose of 4 Gy increased the sprout length. In case of imitation of arid conditions for ryegrass plants, seedlings from non-irradiated seeds of the control variant, under stress, experienced depression and lagged in growth from seedlings with optimal hydration. At the same time, pre-sowing γ-irradiation of seeds in doses of 15-20 Gy partially compensated for the negative effect of lack of moisture, ensuring the same plant development as with optimal hydration, confirming that radiation hormesis can be an example of an adaptive reaction to changing environmental conditions.