The Effect of Usin
The Effect of Using Gamma Rays
on Morphological Characteristics of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Plants
Kamaludin
Rashid1, Abu Bakar Mohd Daran1 , Arash Nezhadahmadi2,
Khairul Hazmi bin Zainoldin1, Shamrul Azhar1, Shahril
Efzueni1
1. Centre for Foundation Studies of Science,
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
2. Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of
Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Malaysia
[email protected]; [email protected]
Abstract: Ginger (Zingiber
Officinale) was used to determine the effect of different exposure
durations of Gamma ray on its growth. The exposure durations used were 30, 60,
90, 120 and 150 seconds. The research was carried out in the Greenhouse of
Institute of Biological Sciences at the University of Malaya. The parameters
used were germination rate, survival rate, and morphological studies (Seedlings
height, the number of leaves, leaves length, leaves width and the number of roots).
From the results, the average germination rate showed decrement with increment
of Gamma ray exposure duration in which the average germination rate for the
Control group was 43.68%, while for the Treatment group, the average
germination rate was 40.35% for the Ginger with 30 seconds exposure duration,
32.75% for the Ginger with 60 seconds exposure duration, 25.70% for the Ginger
with 90 seconds exposure duration, 25.92 % for the Ginger with 120 seconds
exposure duration, and finally 24.48% for the Ginger with 150 seconds exposure
duration. The survival rate also showed decrement with increment of exposure
duration in which the survival rate for the Control plants was 95.24 %, but for
Treatment ones, survival trate was 94.74% for the Ginger with 30 seconds
exposure duration, 92.30% for the Ginger with 60 seconds exposure duration,
84.62% for the Ginger with 90 seconds exposure duration, 76.92% for the Ginger
with 120 seconds exposure duration, and 75% for the Ginger with 150 seconds
exposure duration. The growth of Ginger also showed decrement with increment of
exposure duration. Gamma ray also caused some abnormalities in the Ginger. Some
of the abnormalities were the formation of dwarf Ginger plants, Ginger plant
with crooked stems and corrugated leaves. Generally, all the parameters showed
decrement with increment of exposure duration of Gamma ray.
[Kamaludin
Rashid, Abu Bakar Mohd Daran , Arash Nezhadahmadi, Khairul
Hazmi bin Zainoldin, Shamrul Azhar, Shahril Efzueni. The Effect of Using
Gamma Rays on Morphological Characteristics of Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Plants. Life Sci J 2013;10(1):1538-1544]
(ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com.
Keywords: Gamma ray; Ginger; Morphology