Influence of seed moisture content and post-irradiation hydration temperature on the kinetics of reactivity towards oxygen or decay of oxygen-sensitive sites.

The rate of development of post-irradiation oxygen-dependent damage when oxygen is available, and its rate of elimination when seeds are first post-hydrated in oxygen-free water prior to their transfer to oxygenated water, was studied in barley seeds of approximately 3 per cent, approximately 8 per cent and approximately 9 per cent moisture contents at 3 degrees C, 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The magnitude of oxic damage at a given dose (35 krad) decreases as the initial seed moisture content increases from approximately 3 per cent to approximately 9 per cent. Significant (P = 0.01) oxic damage is observed in seeds of all the three moisture contents at 3 degrees C and 25 degrees C; however, at 37 degrees C significant (P = 0.01) oxic damage is observed only in seeds of approximately 3 per cent and approximately 8 per cent moisture contents. The magnitude of oxic damage in seeds of a given moisture content remains unaltered following oxygenated post-hydration of seeds at 3 degrees C and 25 degrees C, but it registers a significant (P = 0.01) decrease if post-hydration in oxygenated water is carried out at 37 degrees C. The radiation-induced oxygen-sensitive (An) sites react with oxygen approximately 6 to 8 times faster as compared to their rate of decay in the absence of oxygen at both 3 degrees C and 25 degrees C; however, at 37 degrees C they react only approximately 3 to 4 times faster, in seeds of all the three moisture contents. Moreover, the initiation of the decay of An sites becomes evident much earlier in very dry (approximately 3 per cent moist) seeds than in relatively moist (approximately 8 per cent and approximately 9 per cent) seeds. It is also observed that this fraction of An sites which is capable of a very rapid rate of decay in the absence of oxygen is capable also of an even more rapid rate of reactivity towards oxygen.