The survival rate and thermal, crystal, and physicochemical properties of starches in chinese yam tubers irradiated to proton beam were determined. Survival rate was decreased with increased proton beam irradiation. Amylose content of D. opposita starches from different proton beam ranged from 13.2% to 17.8%. D. opposita starch at 5 Gy showed the highest δHgel values (12.0 J/g) while D. opposita starch at 25 Gy showed the lowest values (10.1 J/g). Several parameters such as PKV (peak viscosity), HPV (Hot peak viscosity) and CPV (Cooling peak viscosity) decreased with the increase in irradiation dose. The degrees of crystallinity of the D. opposita starches at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 Gy were 37.2, 38.3, 38.9, 39.2 and 39.9%, respectively. It might be deduced that proton beam irradiation causes changes of starch, especially at high dose irradiation.

Rice plants cv. Koshihikari, were subjected to the biologically effective ultraviolet-B (UV-B_BE) radiation {daily dose : 0.0 (control) and 11.5 (enhanced UV-B) kJ m^-2} to investigate the effect of enhanced UV-B radiation on lipid peroxidation and to determine whether carotenoids and polyamines are involved in protection mechanism against enhanced UV-B radiation. Enhanced UV-B radiation significantly depressed plant dry weight. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rice leaves was increased by about 30% after 6 days of UV-B irradiation. Total carotenoid contents tended to slightly decrease with the UV-B irradiation, even though there was no significance. In rice leaves, 3 major polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine are observed. All of the polyamine contents were increased with UV-B irradiation. The results suggest that enhanced UV-B radiation caused oxidative stress on lipids and that polyamines may serve as a biochemical protectant against increased UV-B radiation in rice plants.