ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Humic Substances Antistress Activity at the Corn Seedlings

Under model conditions, the effect of potassium humate on some indicators in corn seedlings obtained from gamma-irradiated seeds was determined. A physicochemical analysis of potassium humate obtained from pine wood waste was carried out. In field and laboratory experiments, we studied the effect of potassium humate solutions on the morphological and biochemical parameters of corn seedlings obtained from irradiated seeds at doses of 50 and 100 Gy. In all experiments, solutions of potassium humate had a positive effect on the dynamics of growth and development of corn plants grown from irradiated seeds. The effect of potassium humate solutions on chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, and on the photosynthetic activity (maximum quantum yield of PSII) of plants was studied. It has been established that the treatment of seeds with a 0.1% solution of potassium humate before irradiation reduces the amount of malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation. Seed treatment with 0.1% and 0.01% solutions of potassium humate before irradiation caused a significant reduction in the harmful effects of ionizing radiation on seedlings of corn plants.