Radiation Oncology/RT Techniques/Agricultural Applications

Nuclear technology uses radiation to improve the productivity of the entire food chain in a substantial manner Water Use and Soil Management Neutron meters improve irrigation practices that help conserve water and protect vulnerable land Tagging fertilizers with radioisotopes can determine how plants are using nutrients Nuclear techniques help increase crop yields and help determine which plants to grow in areas with less available water Selective breeding creates disease resistant plants with greater nutritional value Pest Control Sterile insect technique (SIT) uses gamma radiation to  sterilize large populations of insects The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) and tsetse fly have been successful controlled using this method Animal Health and Productivity Radioisotope tracers are used to follow the path of the food in animals’ digestive systems and helps determine the nutritional value of the feed Radiation techniques can diagnose harmful pathogens in animals early so we can vaccinate them and eliminate the wide spread of diseases Food Safety Irradiation uses kills bacteria, molds, and parasites in our food Irradiated  foods can be stored for an extended period without refrigeration, which increases their availability in underdeveloped countries Using lower does of ionizing radiation can lengthen the refrigerated life of fresh fish and chicken for several weeks Strawberries treated this way can last for about 30 days Sealed, treated foods–like canned goods–can stay on the shelf at room temperature for years