Modifying effect of nitrogen salts on the development of radiation injury to plants

Preirradiation of seeds with a dose of 100 Gy decreases the activity of a membrane enzyme, glucose-6-phosphates, changes the ratio of lipid components of membranes of the photosynthetic apparatus, and activates lipid peroxidation resulting in the accumulation of malonic dialdehyde and conjugated dienes. Nitrogen salts (NH4+) introduced into the incubation medium with ''irradiated'' chloroplasts reduce the radiation injury to membranes which if indicated by the increase in the oxidation resistant phospholipid fractions (for instance, phosphatidylcholine and spingomyelin), diminution of lipid peroxidation and increase in glucoso-6-phosphatase activity