Thermoluminescence Studies on Plant Seeds of Different Radiosensitivity

The thermoluminescence was found when the pulverized powders from the whole seeds of six plant species or the hypocotyls from the seeds of five soybean varieties were irradiated at a liquid nitrogen temperature with gamma-rays. The spectra of luminescence emitted, the light peak temperature, the decaying after irradiation and the dose relationship of luminescence were determined. A high yield of the rapidly-decaying luminescence occurred in the more radiosensitive variety when irradiated with relatively lower doses. The very drastic decrease of the thermoluminescence was observed in the samples irradiated at room temperature prior to the exposure at 77°K.