Journal of Biotechnology and its Applications
Open AccessEffect of Gamma Radiation on G1 Rhizome Yield and Germination of In Vitro Tissue Cultured Jamaica Yellow and Blue Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)
Authors: Collin SCANTLEBURY, Ryan FRANCIS, Gillian ROWE, Daniel STEPHENS, Danielle WILLIAMS, Oreane COLLINS.
Abstract
Data was analyzed from G1 rhizomes harvested April 2025 from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. Jamaica blue) at the Biotechnology Department of the Jamaica Scientific Research Council. Tissue culture (TC) explants were irradiated at the Plant Breeding Unit, Joint FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Siebersdorf, Austria in 2018. The radiation source was 60Co - 4.30 Gy/min. Based on LD50 results of the radio-sensitivity studies, bulk gamma irradiation was conducted on Jamaica blue ginger TC explants using doses 8, 12 and 16Gy. The majority of the observations were on 12Gy lines (53%) and 16Gy lines (37%). Harvested rhizomes bore anomalies including considerable roots, some linear, slender, swollen and with terminal nodules. Most lines bore 1 - 3 rhizomes (53%), others 4 - 6 rhizomes (37%) and up to 10 and 13 with low frequency. The mean rhizome mass ranged from 6.5 ± 5.0 g to 20.0 ± 5.0g per line. The mean mass of roots ranged from 1.4 ± 1.3 to 13.59 ±2.31g, observed for line 12Gy50. This mean mass was significantly higher than the other lines. Germination or sprouting of the rhizomes of irradiated lines ranged from 75 to 91% compared to the control 60%. Sprouting was significantly higher for 12 Gy lines than the control with t = 4.26, for 12 df, P = 0.05. The mean shoot length for irradiated lines was significantly lower than the control. The mean shoot lengths were 15.99 ± 4.18 cm, 15.77 ± 7.1 cm and 26.28 ± 3.24 cm for 12Gy, 16Gy and control respectively. Four mutant lines with significantly lower shoot lengths were identified 12Gy102, 12Gy114, 16Gy23 and 16Gy26.
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