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The genetic consequences of radioactive contamination by the fallout to agricultural crops after the accident at the Chernobyl NPP in 1986 have been studied. In the first, acute, period of this accident, when the absorbed dose was primarily due to external beta- and gamma-irradiation, the radiation injury of agricultural crops, according to the basic cytogenetic tests, resembled the effect produced by acute gamma-irradiation at comparable doses. The yield of cytogenetic damage in leaf meristem of plants grown in the 10-km zone of the ChNPP in 1987-1989 (the period of chronic, lower level radiation exposure) was shown to be enhanced and dependent on the level of radioactive contamination. The rate of decline with time in cytogenetic damage induced by chronic exposure lagged considerably behind that of the radiation exposure. Analysis of genetic variability in three sequential generations of rye and wheat revealed increased cytogenetic damage in plants exposed to chronic irradiation during the 2nd and 3rd years., (Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd.)

The changes in chromatin and DNA of seedling and callus tissues of cereals grown in the Chernobyl NPP zones with contamination levels of 15, 40 and 60 Ci/km2 were studied. Test samples produced by germinating and culturing seed cells of grown in contaminated areas were notable for the content of soluble polydesoxiribonucleotides, amount of DNA damages, DNA distribution over separate compartments of cell nucleus as compared to the control. Analogy between radiation-induced changes in chromatine and processes occurring in cell nucleus senescence was observed.

Genotoxic effects during microsporogenesis and gametogenesis were studied in barley of the waxy strain grown on 3 experimental plots situated in the region of the Chernobyl disaster (plot 1 in the town of Chernobyl, plots 2 and 3 in the town of Yanov, 3 km away from the damaged power plant). It was determined that an increased level of radionuclide pollution and chronic irradiation during ontogenesis results in higher incidence of meiotic disturbances and abnormalities during formation of the male gametophyte. Incidence of waxy reversions in pollen grains depends on the activity of radionuclide pollutants as well. We suggest that selection affecting both diplont and haplont forms will provide for the absence of significant aberrations in subsequent plant generations.

The mutagenic effectiveness of chronic, combined alpha-, beta-, and gamma-irradiation caused by radionuclide contamination of the biogeocenosis was studied in comparison with chronic gamma-irradiation from an external 60Co source. The waxy-test on barley pollen proved to be sufficiently sensitive to evaluate the increase in waxy-reversion frequencies in plants exposed to a 3 mSv dose. A dose of 50-200 mSv from external irradiation was needed to double the mutation rate in barley pollen. Moreover, the smaller doses (dose rates) were more harmful than the higher doses if measured as the increase in mutation frequency per unit of irradiation. Higher genotoxicity was observed from combined irradiation due to radionuclide contamination than from similar doses from an external gamma source. We concluded that mutagenic effects in plant cells, in the case of radionuclide contamination of the biogeocenosis, could not be extrapolated only on the basis of measured dose, but separate investigations should be carried out to establish the genotoxicity of specific radionuclide mixtures and possible toxic chemical synergisms.