Method of inhibiting sprouting in plant products

摘要

The present invention provides a method of inhibiting the sprouting of a plant product by exposing the plant product to a low dose of high-speed electron irradiation at a high dose rate. More specifically, the plant product is exposed a dose of high-speed electron irradiation sufficient to inhibit cell division of its meristematic cells. However, the dose is insufficient to substantially damage the other non-meristematic cells of the plant product. A suitable dose may range from 2.5 to 50 kilorads. The dose rate is also sufficient to inhibit cell division in the meristematic cells of the plant product, and insufficient to substantially damage the non-meristematic cells of the plant product. A suitable dose rate is greater than 106 rads per second. The present invention also includes a plant product treated by the above method.