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Many seedsmen have observed that lima bean seed of a variety like Early Thorogreen, which has green cotyledons, often fades in color during harvesting. This fading of color is known as bleaching. A variety which has green cotyledon and hence green seed, should retain this green color during harvest. Bleached seeds are likely to emerge slowly when planted. Also, the final field stand from a planting of bleached seed is likely to be poor.

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. Bibliography: leaves 140-154.

Exposure to moderately high levels of ionizing radiation (<20 Gy) has in some instances shown a hormetic effect in numerous vegetable-type crops. Past experiments performed in outdoor cultivars have shown a somewhat unpredictable increase in growth rate with a higher overall yield in a specified time when the seeds are exposed to ionizing radiation prior to germination. This experiment has attempted to eliminate potentially confounding variables in the growth of a legume utilizing an Environmental Protection Agency controlled green house. The experiment was a completely randomized block design with six blocks and seven treatment groups. Each treatment group of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were exposed to ������Co radiation, given doses of 5-20 Gy, planted and grown for 40 days. Due to the symbiotic relationship with rhizobium bacteria within a seed, the expected result was a lowered nitrogen fixation capacity as bacteria concentration was reduced due to sterilization by the high energy gamma, yielding a smaller plant mass. The predicted trend in reduction would be described by the linear no-threshold model. A statistically significant increase in overall plant mass occurred in the 5 Gy treatment group, with a subsequent linear trend in mass reduction at treatment levels of 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 Gy. The overall quality and plant mass decreased markedly at a treatment level of 20 Gy. Additional possible contributions to plant differences in growth within a green house were light intensity, temperature, CO��� level and soil water retention. The complete randomized block design attempts to remove these as potentially confounding variables. / Graduation date: 1999

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-192). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-101).

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