Journal Article

GSI-2026-00762

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Morpho-anatomical and biochemical plasticity of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) microgreens following heavy-ion seed irradiation

De Francesco, S. (Corresponding author)Extern* ; Amitrano, C. ; Vitale, E. ; Tinganelli, W.GSI* ; Durante, M.GSI* ; De Pascale, S. ; Arena, C. ; De Micco, V. (Corresponding author)

2026
Elsevier Science Amsterdam [u.a.]

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111517  doi:10.15120/GSI-2026-00762

Abstract: Salvia hispanica L. (chia) microgreens are recognized as nutrient-dense crops suitable for controlled-environment agriculture but never been tested for space-related applications. Elucidating the physiological and biochemical responses of plants to ionizing radiation is essential for crop selection in space agriculture. Ground-based studies, employing irradiation of seeds with heavy ions as components of Galactic Cosmic Rays, are needed to identify radiation-tolerant crops suitable for long-duration missions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of carbon (12C) and iron (56Fe) ions, on the morphological, anatomical, and biochemical traits of chia microgreens, as a candidate, emerging crop, for space cultivation. Dry seeds were irradiated with five doses (0.3, 1, 10, 20, and 25 Gy) of each ion type, and responses were assessed at the seedling stage. Distinct ion-specific and dose-dependent responses were observed across multiple functional traits. Iron irradiation promoted shoot elongation, photosynthetic pigment and soluble protein contents, whereas carbon ions increased seedling transpiration, nutrient accumulation (K, Mg, Ca), and polyphenol content, accompanied by notable anatomical adjustments in leaf tissues. Despite these structural and biochemical adjustments, net photosynthesis remained unaffected by irradiation treatments. However, PN contributed to sample separation in the PCA through its covariation with other morpho-physiological and biochemical traits. Phenotypic plasticity analysis revealed higher responsiveness of biochemical traits than anatomical ones, particularly under iron ion exposure. Overall, the ability of S. hispanica microgreens to preserve photosynthetic performance, while modulating key functional traits under ionizing radiation, underscores their physiological plasticity and provides evidence supporting their potential suitability for space-based cultivation systems.

Keyword(s): Biochemical responses ; Extreme environments ; Ionizing radiation ; Phenotypic plasticity ; Physiological plasticity ; Radiobiology ; Salvia hispanica L. ; Stress response

Note: This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Biophysik (BIO)

Research Program(s):

1. 633 - Life Sciences – Building Blocks of Life: Structure and Function (POF4-633) (POF4-633)
2. FAIR Phase-0 - FAIR Phase-0 Research Program (GSI-FAIR-Phase-0) (GSI-FAIR-Phase-0)
3. SUC-GSI-Darmstadt - Strategic university cooperation GSI-TU Darmstadt (SUC-GSI-DA) (SUC-GSI-DA)

Experiment(s):

1. SBio08_DeMicco: Assessing radiosensitivity of higher plants and mechanisms for radioresistance at different phenological stages (RadioPlant) (POF3-315; HTM)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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Database coverage:
; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Agriculture, Biology and Environmental Sciences ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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