[Biological effect of cosmic rays induced in embryo tissues of Arabidopsis seeds exposed in Cosmos-2044 (Bion-9)].

This paper presents the results of evaluation of the biological effect induced by cosmic rays in embryo tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds exposed in Biocosmos-9 (BION-9). The experiment was carried out in cooperation with the Botanical Institute and the Institute of nuclear Physics of J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany using the Biostack system. The data ere obtained in Moscow 4 months and 3 years after the flight. It was shown that in Arabidopsis seeds exposed outside BION-9 the effect evaluated by all the biological criteria used was higher than in seeds exposed inside BION-9. In some characters the effect in the latter did not differ from that in control seeds but in others (black spots, tumors, mutations) it was higher. In tetraploid line the per cent of plants with tumors was higher than in diploid line. The differences observed can be explained by the fact that the total dose of irradiation and the flow of heavy ions were significantly higher outside than inside BION-9. The data obtained cooperatively with German colleagues showed that the seeds hit by heavy ion could not practically develop in the normal way. It was noted that after prolonged storage of seeds after the flight the biological effect in control seeds and in seeds exposed inside BION-9 did not change, and increased in seeds exposed outside BION-9.