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