Effect of microwaves on growth of Nigella sativa seedlings and Callus development.

Abstract<br /> The research included the effect of microwaves on Nigella sativa seedling ,which grown on the culture media for germination of seeds and seedling growth. This was done by exposure of seeds to microwaves for different periods, the results showed that the germination percent of seeds exposed to microwaves for (100) minutes, was nearly that of the seeds in the control treatment ,it reached to 90%,94% respectively ,this was after 7days<br /> from culture.<br /> Germination percent in the other treatments ranged between 68%-88%, also the mean of seedlings length which grown from seeds exposed to microwaves for 20 and 120 minutes reached 2.5 and 2.4 cm respectively ,and so it is closely to 2.6 cm for the control treatment. <br /> On the other hand, the results cleared that the stem explants of seedlings containing a node, exposed to microwaves, varied by their response for callus initiation, that is after 20 days from culture. The explants in the control treatment showed good (+++) response, while in the other treatments where explants exposed to microwaves showed less (++) response than the control. except that exposed for (100) minutes, the response was similar to that of the control. <br /> The fresh weight of callus grown for 45 days from stem explants exposed to microwaves for 20 and40 minutes were 2.0 and 2.1 g respectively compared with 2.3 g for the control. In spite that the maximum fresh weight of callus gained in this study which was 6.8 g after 70 days growth from explants exposed for 80 minutes to microwaves ,but it is still less than 8.5 g for the control