The effect of electromagnetic radiation from the Skrunda Radio Location Station on Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden cultures

The effect of electromagnetic radiation from the Skrunda Radio Location Station was studied on the vegetative growth and morphology of the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden plant in the next generation. The impact of plant development stage and length of the exposure period were examined. The effect of short-term (5-day) exposures of Spirodela cultures depended on the stage of development at the time of exposure. Generally, the vegetative reproduction rate was accelerated in the first 20 days after the end of exposure. Exposure of plants just beginning formation lowered the vegetative growth rate. Eighty-eight-hour exposure caused the appearance of some abnormal individuals after 30 days of growth. At 55 days, various morphological and developmental abnormalities appeared in 6–10 daughter plants from 10 exposed mother plants, compared with 0.1 plants per 10 in the control condition. Plants developed completely to daughter fronds under exposure from the electromagnetic field had a shorter life-span (67 days compared to 87 days in the control) and fewer subsequent daughters (total eight compared to 10 in the control group).