Abstract
Compared to the studies on acute irradiation of seeds, fewer studies have reported on the chronic irradiation of seedlings, especially in fruit-bearing vegetables. We examined the effects of chronic gamma irradiation on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Micro-Tom’) seedlings exposed to gamma rays (50, 100, 150, and 200 Gy) for 4 weeks. As the total dose of gamma rays increased, leaf length, trichome density, and seed number were reduced in the irradiated seedlings (M1). Additionally, a change in fruit shape was observed. Chronic gamma irradiation reduced the expression of two trichome-related genes and affected the expression levels of 11 reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes. We examined the transmittance of these effects using M2 plants. The trichome density and fruit shape were similar between M2 and control plants; however, a reduction in leaf length and seed number was detected in M2 plants. Interestingly, changes in the expression of four ROS-related genes (ZAT10, Mn-SOD, POD3, and RBOH1) found in M1 were detected in M2 plants. Thus, the changes in phenotype and gene expression induced by chronic gamma irradiation were transmitted to the next generation. Additionally, we found novel mutants from M2 plants, suggesting that chronic gamma irradiation may be considered in tomato mutation breeding.
Highlights
Irradiation of plant tissues causes various biological effects at both morphological and physiological levels of plant organisms and cellular levels [1]
To investigate the effect of chronic gamma irradiation exerted on tomato plants, 3week-old tomato seedlings were irradiated with 50, 100, 150, and 200 Gy of gamma rays for a period of 4 weeks (Figure S1)
These results indicated that chronic gamma irradiation negatively affected trichome density in tomatoes
Summary
Irradiation of plant tissues causes various biological effects at both morphological and physiological levels of plant organisms and cellular levels [1]. At the morphological and physiological levels of plant organisms, the irradiation of rice with carbon beams or gamma rays results in morphological and functional defects, including reduction in fertility [2]. Gamma irradiation causes other developmental changes, such as increased trichome density in Arabidopsis [4] and elongation of internode diameter in Brachypodium [5]. Gamma rays alter the amount of sucrose in potato [6]. Gamma irradiation causes damage to cell walls in Brachypodium [5] and alters the structure of mitochondria and chloroplasts in Arabidopsis [8].
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