University College of Agriculture, Calcutta University, Calcutta-700019
Employing embryo-endosperm reciprocal transplantation technique, it has been shown that γ-irradiated rice endosperm adversely affects the growth of non-irradiated embryos transplanted on them. One of the reasons of the poor growth of the non-irradiated embryo-irradiated endosperm transplant appears to be the fall in gibberellin-induced α-amylase production in the aleurone cells of the endosperm. However, exogenous supply of gibberellic acid (GA2) partly overcame the adverse effect of irradiation implying damage to other biomolecules and bioorganelles participating in the reactions leading to germination and early seedling growth.
