Biological effects of carbon ions with medium energy on plant seeds

The biological effects of 46.6 MeV/u 12C6+ ions on four kinds of plant seeds were studied at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), Institute of Modern Physics (IMP), Academia Sinica. The results show that germination of the seeds is inhibited by exposure to ions. In root tip cells of irradiated seeds, a great variety of chromosomal aberrations were observed. Sensitivities in terms of inhibition of germination and induction of chromosomal aberrations in the four species are correlated.