Аннотация:The aim of this work was to determine which processes in airdry seeds result in bimodal changes of the pea seed quality under the influence of low doses of γradiation. Pea seeds (cv. “Nemchinovsky85”, harvest 2006,2% germination persentage) were exposed to γradiation at doses of 3, 10 and 100 Gy. The germination per centage decreased to 45% four days after irradiation at the dose of 3 Gy, rised up to 87% at doses of 10 Gy, while the dose of 100 Gy killed the most part of seeds. Seed fractions differing in quality were selected using
the metod of Room temperature phosphorecsence (RTP): strong seed frasction I from onirradiated seeds; weak seed fraction II from the seeds irradiated at a dose of 3 Gy; dead seeds from the seeds irradiated at a dose of 100 Gy. ThermoChemiLuminecnsece (TCL) of seed powders and cotyledons was used. It was shown that the increase of the TCL level in the temperature range from 50 to110°С was associated with the lipid per oxidation products. The TCL level of seeds subjected to γirradiation at a dose of 3 Gy was similar to that of
nonirradiated seeds in the temperature range 50 to100°С. Therefore, lipid peroxidation was not the cause of the abnormal seedling appearance. The TCL level within this temperature range was increased only in seeds subjected to γirradiation at a dose of 100 Gy. The TCL level at 150°С was in proportion with the exogenous glucose amount. The increased TCL level of seeds subjected to γirradiation at a dose of 3 Gy at 150°С resulted from the increase of the glucose content. This means that the transition from the fraction of strong seeds
into the fraction of weak ones was the result of the activation of hydrolysis processes. Decrease in the water content of seeds testified to utilization of bound water in this process. The decrease of the glucose content in the “improved” seeds subjected to γirradiation at a dose of 10 Gy most probably indicates the participation of glucose in the amino carbonyl reaction. The latter could be the reason for the increased water content in
the “improved” seeds and a decreased water permeability of cell membranes.