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This study focuses on the influence of pre-planting irradiation on the development, health, and yield of seed potatoes infected with Rhizoctonia solani. The research was prompted by the need to ensure crop security and sustainability in the modern-day environment, which calls into question the future sufficiency of crop yields. Considering that the focus has shifted to non-chemical methods of crop treatment at all plant development stages in response to more stringent regulations governing potato production, it is particularly important to refine physics-based methods to suppress fungal diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Irradiation of tubers with 20–150 Gy inhibited the potato development phases and the doses exceeding 150 Gy completely suppressed the potato sprouting. Doses ranging from 20 Gy to 100 Gy decreased the quantity of large tubers by 10–20% on average while the number of medium and small tubers increased by 5–15% and 3–10%, respectively. Irradiation of seed potatoes also decreased the sclerotia and non-sclerotia forms of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani in the harvested tubers. It was found that 1 MeV electron irradiation with doses ranging from 20 Gy to 30 Gy is the most efficient for the pre-planting treatment of seed potatoes since the penetration of low-energy accelerated electrons into the upper layers of potato tubers ensures the suppression of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani by at least 10% from the value of non-irradiated samples and prevents the reduction of total yield allowing for a maximum of 25% loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work was to compare the effect of electron and X-ray irradiation on microbiological content and volatile organic compounds in chilled turkey meat. Dose ranges which significantly suppress the pathogenic microflora while maintaining the organoleptic properties of the turkey meat are different for electron and X-ray irradiation. According to the study it is recommended to treat chilled turkey using X-ray irradiation with the dose ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 kGy, while in electron irradiation permissible doses should be within 0.25–1 kGy. Three main groups of volatile compounds: alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes—were found in irradiated and non-irradiated samples of turkey meat. It was found that the total amount of aldehydes, which are responsible for the formation of a specific odor of irradiated meat products, increases exponentially with the increase in the absorbed dose for both types of irradiation. It was established that acetone can be used as a potential marker of the fact of exposure of low-fat meat products to ionizing radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]