Physiological response of wheat, maize and cotton to gamma irradiation

Grains of wheat triticum aestivum vulgare cv. Giza 155, maize Zea mays cv. double hybrid strain 17 S and cotton seeds Gossypium barbadence cv. Giza 67 were irradiated with successive doses of gamma rays from 0 to 64 Krad. Irradiating wheat grains with 1 Krad, maize grains with 0.5 Krad and cotton seeds with 4 Krad stimulated their germination and enhanced the growth of seedlings and their chlorophyll content. Also, these doses activated Alpha- and Beta-Amylase in the seeds. Higher doses had suppression effects. Peroxidase value in the seedlings of the three species was accelerated progressively in concomitant with the increase in the dosage