ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF RADIONUCLIDE AND CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION ON THE CYTOGENETIC PARAMETERS OF THE BUSH GRASS (CALAMAGROSTIS EPIGEJOS)

The article presents the study results of the effect of radionuclide and chemical contamination on the cytogenetic parameters of the bush grass ( Calamagróstis epigéjos ) growing on the Degelen mountain massif of the Semipalatinsk Test Site. The combined effect of ionizing radiation and the concentration of chemical elements in plants has been revealed. With an increase in the radiation dose from 5.0·10 −6 to 2.5·10 −5 Gy/h, minor changes are observed – an increase in the frequency of aberrant cells of meristematic rootlets of seedlings of bush grass ( Calamagroustis epigéjos ), however, all changes are within the margin of error. Certain changes in the frequency of aberrant cells are noted with an increase in the content of elements such as Cr, Mn, Li, Fe, the concentrations of which in the studied plants increase the MPC. In general, the maximum frequency of aberrant cells is about 8.8%. At the same time, chromosomal, chromatid and genomic types of chromosomal disorders were detected in plants.