How is nuclear science applied to agriculture?

Question

I'm doing a project on how nuclear science is applied to agriculture. I would appreciate any and all information.

Answer 1

http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/focus/200...

Answer 2

I've been in agriculture raising cattle and ceareal crops for thirty years and have no knowledge of nuclear science in agriculture production so it must be in research end of things.

Answer 3

I know how agriculture can be applied to nuclear science.  Certain plants have the ability to absorb radioactive particles that have precipitated or been spilled onto the ground..  The plants are harvested and then disposed of in a manner which keeps the radioactive material out of harms way.

Answer 4

The term "nuclear" can have multiple meanings.

Food can be ridded of harmful bacteria by iradiation.

A previous responder mention using plants to clean up nuclear/ radioactive waste in soils.

This is called bio-remediation.



Plant and animal cells have a nucleus which contains the DNA.  Any study or manipulation of it can be considered "nuclear".

Answer 5

radiation has been used to induce mutations in plants in hopes of finding useful mutations.  However I think chemical mutation has been more successful.  Generally mutations are deleterious and there are very very few examples of induced mutations that have been successfull in crop breeding.  I know the mutations for low phytic acid in soybean and other grain have been made using induced mutation, but I can't reacall if they were chemical or radiation induced.

p.s.  Ilike the way chic doc thinks.