VICIA-FABA CHROMOSOME-DAMAGE INDUCED BY LOW-DOSES OF GAMMA-RADIATION

The rate of radiation damage to chromosomes by low doses of gamma rays (0.01-0.30 Gy) was studied in the root tips of Vicia faba. As criteria of the effect of ionizing radiation, the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), incidence of chromosomal aberrations and the number of micronuclei were evaluated and compared in irradiated cells. The results obtained confirmed that the analysis of SCEs did not represent an efficient indicator of radiation damage to chromosomes. On the contrary, the formation of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei was effectively stimulated by low radiation doses, there being linear dose-effect relationships in the low doses region used. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.