The effect of the non-ionizing radiation on exposed, laboratory cultivated maize (Zea mays L.) plants

- Young corn plants exposed to long term radiation from a DECT base-unit.
- No biomass reduction was observed for the exposed plants, after two weeks.
- Photosynthetic pigment content seems unaltered.
- After two weeks, mesophyll chloroplast structure seems not to be affected.
- Bundle sheath chloroplasts severely affected, apprehending repression of a major advantage.

A series of experiments was carried out to investigate possible structural or biochemical effects on young Zea mays plants after a long-term exposure to non-ionizing, continuous radiation emitted from the base unit of a cordless DECT system. Exposed plants, compared to their normal counterparts, do not seem to be affected concerning their sprouting potential, biomass production for both the above ground part and the root, leaf structure, photosynthetic pigment content and their absorbance. The structural profile of the exposed plants seems almost identical to those of the control ones. Biomass production, photosynthetic pigments, leaf structure and chloroplast arrangement do not differ in exposed plants. What seems to be affected is the structure of the chloroplasts accommodated in the bundle sheath cells of the exposed leaves. They suffer a slight swelling of their thylakoids and an undulation of some of the thylakoid membranes. Scarcely a disruption of chloroplast envelope can be observed.

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