TY  - JOUR
AU  - De Francesco, Sara
AU  - Amitrano, Chiara
AU  - Vitale, Ermenegilda
AU  - Costanzo, Giulia
AU  - Tinganelli, Walter
AU  - Pugliese, Mariagabriella
AU  - Arrichiello, Cecilia
AU  - Muto, Paolo
AU  - Durante, Marco
AU  - De Pascale, Stefania
AU  - Arena, Carmen
AU  - De Micco, Veronica
TI  - Radiation quality matters: morphological and biochemical responses of Brassica rapa microgreens to X-rays, C-ions, and Fe-ions
JO  - Planta
VL  - 262
IS  - 5
SN  - 0032-0935
CY  - Heidelberg
PB  - Springer
M1  - GSI-2025-01129
SP  - 118
PY  - 2025
N1  - This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
AB  - Radiation type and dose distinctly modulate microgreens development, revealing trait-specific thresholds where X-rays induce hormesis, carbon ions delay differentiation, and iron ions enhance biochemical balance with moderate anatomical disruption. As space exploration progresses and controlled-environment agriculture becomes increasingly relevant under extreme conditions, understanding how ionizing radiation affects plant development is crucial. Ionizing radiation poses a major constraint in space cultivation systems, also playing a role in terrestrial stress scenarios. Despite growing interest in radiation biology, few studies have systematically compared plant responses to different radiation types with distinct linear energy transfer (LET). In this study, seeds of Brassica rapa L. were exposed to increasing doses of X-rays (low-LET), carbon ions, and iron ions (high-LET). Seed germination, morpho-anatomical, and biochemical traits of plants were assessed up to the microgreens stage. Plant responses were both dose- and radiation-specific. Specifically, X-rays triggered a hormetic response at low doses (1 Gy), with a decline in several analyzed traits at higher doses. Carbon ions increased leaf expansion but reduced the content of pigments, proteins, and the structural investment, suggesting a delayed tissue differentiation and low-cost acclimation mechanism under stress. Iron ions promoted a coordinated upregulation of biochemical defenses and moderate anatomical changes. Overall, radiation quality induced distinct acclimation strategies in B. rapa, influencing the balance between growth, structural integrity, and defense mechanisms, highlighting its notable radioresistance. Moreover, identifying trait-specific thresholds and response patterns suggests that different radiation types could be selectively applied to modulate specific functions (e.g., biomass or antioxidants promotion, anatomical adjustments) based on desired outcomes. These findings provide valuable insights into how different ionizing radiation types impact plant responses, addressing a critical gap in space-oriented research and guiding strategies to optimize plant growth in extraterrestrial environments.
KW  - Brassica rapa: radiation effects
KW  - Brassica rapa: growth & development
KW  - Brassica rapa: anatomy & histology
KW  - Brassica rapa: physiology
KW  - Brassica rapa: metabolism
KW  - Iron
KW  - X-Rays
KW  - Carbon
KW  - Germination: radiation effects
KW  - Plant Leaves: radiation effects
KW  - Plant Leaves: growth & development
KW  - Plant Leaves: anatomy & histology
KW  - Seeds: radiation effects
KW  - Seeds: growth & development
KW  - Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
KW  - Hormesis: radiation effects
KW  - Linear Energy Transfer
KW  - Extreme environments (Other)
KW  - Ionizing radiation (Other)
KW  - Leaf traits (Other)
KW  - Phytochemical countermeasures (Other)
KW  - Radiobiology (Other)
KW  - Stress response (Other)
KW  - Iron (NLM Chemicals)
KW  - Carbon (NLM Chemicals)
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
DO  - DOI:10.1007/s00425-025-04835-6
UR  - https://repository.gsi.de/record/362397
ER  -