The Effect of Ionizing Radiations on the Broad Bean Root

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Abstract
Broad bean roots were irradiated with alpha particles by immersion in radon soln. Tips were fixed 3 hrs. afterwards and the number of cells seen in mitosis compared with control roots. The logarithm of the % residual mitosis plotted against the dose defines a straight line. These results are compared with similar results obtained previously with neutron and gamma rays. The ratio of the slopes of the neutron and alpha ray lines is the inverse of the ratio of the linear ion densities, suggestive of an effect brought about by a single recoil proton or a particle, but this explanation is not pressed owing to the lack of supporting evidence. The relative efficiencies of gamma rays, neutrons, and alpha rays in reducing the number of cells seen in mitosis in the bean root 3 hrs. after irradiation are 1:2-1:0.6 whereas the corresponding figures for the lethal effect are 1:9:9.

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