Photosynthetic Pigments and Stomata Characteristics of Cowpea (Vigna sinensis savi) under the Effect of X-Ray Radiation

Abstract

This study was conducted in the field and laboratories of the faculty of science and health-Koya university by exposing the seeds of cowpea plant (Vigna sinensis Savi) var. California black-eye to X-ray radiation in two different locations (In target or 30 cm out of target) inside the radiation chamber, for four different exposure times (0, 5, 10, or 20 min), to study the effect on some characteristics of seedling components. Results show that the exposure location to X-ray had non-significant effects on cowpea leaves content of photosynthetic pigments, whereas each of time of exposure with interaction between location and time of exposure had significant effects on chlorophyll a, total chlorophylls, and total carotenoids pigments. Regarding the X-ray effects on stomata characteristics, the results detect that there were non-significant differences between the location of exposure on stomata number on abaxial leaves surfaces and stomata length on adaxial leaves surfaces, whereas a significant effects on number of stomata on the adaxial leaves surfaces, abaxial stomata length, abaxial, and adaxial stomata width were detect. Exposing cowpea seeds to X-ray radiation in the target of the radiation source increased significantly stem and leave dry matter percent compared with the one out of the target location, whereas increasing the time of exposure decreased the percent of dry matter of stem and leaves. It is concluded that exposing cowpea seeds to X-ray leads to changes in photosynthetic pigments, stomata characteristics, and plant dry matter content.