Gösta Eriksson

Mutation in the waxy character in barley pollen grains following 90Sr-incorporation at low activities

Abstract Reversions and forward mutations in the waxy character were determined in the pollen grains of barley plants which had grown in a Ca-poor soil treated with 8–160 μC 90 Sr/kg of soil. An increaed mutation rate could be determined at isotope contents down to about 2 nC/g fresh weight, corresponding to a dose rate of about 0.04 rad/day. The frequency of induced reversions depended exponentially on dose, in agreement with the effect of acute γ-irradiation. The relatuonship between forward mutation rate and dose was more complicated. The low doses gave higher mutation rates than expected from a linear dependence.

The mutagenic effect of 90Sr in barley.

Abstract The mutation frequency in the pollen character waxy was investigated in barley plants cultivated on soil contaminated with 90 Sr. Doses in the range of human safety interest were mutagenic. The mutation frequency per dose unit was higher in the lowest dose region than at moderate doses. In a comparison with 90 Sr β-radiation originating outside the plants no indication of any transmutation effects of 90 Sr was found. The doses were estimated by LiF thermoluminescence dosimetry and by theoretical calculations. Theoretical dose distributions in 90 Sr contaminated cylinders have been calculated.