Opuntia dillenii (ker gawl) haw.）It is a class of succulents that has attracted attention for its unique morphology and adaptability to survive. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this claim as to whether cacti are immune to radiation. First, we need to understand the types of radiation and its effects on plants to go deeper into this issue.
Radiation can be divided into ionic and non-ionic radiation
Ionizing radiation includes X-rays and rays, while non-ionizing radiation includes ultraviolet and microwaves. For plants, ultraviolet light is a common non-ionic radiation, while X-rays and rays are ionic radiation.
Cacti typically grow in dry, sunny areas, and their leaves often have a thick waxy epidermis on the surface, which helps reduce water evaporation and prevent excessive evapotranspiration. This property makes cacti relatively adaptable to ultraviolet rays. However, to discuss the ability to resist radiation, it is necessary to further examine the effects of radiation on plant growth.
The effects of radiation on plants are mainly manifested by changes at the physiological and biochemical levels.
For example, radiation can cause DNA damage, oxidative stress, and abnormalities in cellular metabolism. Plants typically mitigate these effects through a range of physiological and biochemical adaptation mechanisms, including increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, accumulation of non-enzymatic antioxidants, etc. However, there are no independent scientific studies that prove that cacti are more resistant to radiation than other plants.
In horticulture, it is essential to understand the physiological characteristics of plants in order to better manage the environment in which they grow.
Although cacti excel at adapting to dry and hot environments, we cannot rashly attribute it to their exceptional resistance to radiation. More attention should be paid to providing proper light, water and nutrients in the cultivation process of plants to ensure the healthy growth of plants.
In summary, although cacti are a class of succulents adapted to extreme environments, there is currently not enough scientific evidence to support their special resistance to radiation. In horticultural practice, we should focus more on providing the right environment for plants than on their resistance to radiation. This helps to promote scientific plant cultivation and horticultural practices, providing people with more accurate and reliable plant knowledge.