conventional methods. Radioisotopes were used for producing high yielding crop seeds to increase the agricultural yield. Radioisotopes were also used for determining the function of fertilizers in different plants. Radiations from certain radioisotopes were also used for killing insects which damage the food grains.
What are radioisotopes and their uses?
Uses of radioactive isotopes
- Uses of radioactive isotopes in medicine
- Uses of radioisotopes in chemistry
- Radiocarbon dating
- Uses of radioisotopes in agriculture
What are the beneficial uses of radioactive isotopes?
Radioactive isotopes have many useful applications. In medicine, for example, cobalt-60 is extensively employed as a radiation source to arrest the development of cancer. Other radioactive isotopes are used as tracers for diagnostic purposes as well as in research on metabolic processes.
What are some applications of radioactive isotopes?
Questions
- Define tracer and give an example of how tracers work.
- Name two isotopes that have been used as tracers.
- Explain how radioactive dating works.
- Name two isotopes that have been used in radioactive dating.
- The current disintegration rate for carbon-14 is 14.0 Bq. …
- A small asteroid crashes to Earth. …
- What is a positive aspect of the irradiation of food?
How is radioactivity used in agriculture?
In agriculture, radiation and radioisotopes are also used in the nutritional studies of trace elements, mechanism of photosynthesis, plant protection including action of insecticides, metabolisms in plant, uptake of fertilizers, ions mobility in soils and plants and food preservation.
What is the role of radioisotopes in agriculture?
Till now, radioisotopes are being more widely used in the field of agriculture than in any other field of science and their application is leading us to the solution of agricultural problems in a shorter time and more precisely.
How do radioisotopes help in plant nutrition?
1. With the help of radioisotopes we can easily locate the presence of a single atom and molecule and their movement. Hence, they give research workers the opportunity to follow up step by step all kinds of processes that are related to the nutrition of plant from germination to maturity. 2.
How are radioisotopes used in agriculture?
Till now radioisotope and radiation are being more widely used in the field of agriculture than any other field of science and their application is leading us to the solution of agricultural problems in a shorter time and more precisely. Radioisotope and radiation give us the opportunity to clear the events that once were mysterious in the growth and nutrition of plants and evolution of new varieties by creating genetic variability. In addition to this, radioactive tracers and radiation sources have become indispensable to all the agricultural research problems. In agriculture, radiation and radioisotopes are also used in the nutritional studies of trace elements, mechanism of photosynthesis, plant protection including action of insecticides, metabolisms in plant, uptake of fertilizers, ions mobility in soils and plants and food preservation. Thus, radioisotopes and radiation have contributed tremendously to fulfil the need of mankind such as food and agriculture, health and medicine, energy production, environmental protection etc. The role of radioisotopes and radiation in the cause of human being has been well -established. However, their application in some other fields have not been fully realized. This article briefly describes the role of radioisotopes and radiation in the field of agriculture.
How have radioisotopes and radiation contributed to the human condition?
Thus, radioisotopes and radiation have contributed tremendously to fulfil the need of mankind such as food and agriculture, health and medicine, energy production, environmental protection etc. The role of radioisotopes and radiation in the cause of human being has been well -established.
What are radioisotopes used for?
In agriculture, radiation and radioisotopes are also used in the nutritional studies of trace elements, mechanism of photosynthesis, plant protection including action of insecticides, metabolisms in plant, uptake of fertilizers, ions mobility in soils and plants and food preservation. Thus, radioisotopes and radiation have contributed tremendously …
What is the name of the type of energy that is emitted by radioactive isotopes?
By radioisotopes or radiation, we generally mean some extraordinary type of energy or rays, which is emitted by radioactive isotopes. Such rays are alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ), which are invisible, spontaneous and penetrating.
Why do we need radioisotopes?
Radioisotopes and radiation give us the opportunity to clear the events that once were mysterious in the nutrition and growth of plants and evolution of new varieties. They help us to clear the causal factors which produce ill-effects to the plants in different ways.
How do pesticides affect agriculture?
Insect pests are responsible for significant reduction in production of agricultural crops throughout the world (Alphey, 2007). Insect pests are serious threat to agricultural productivity. They not only reduce crop yields but also transmit disease to cultivated crops. Radiolabel pesticides were used to monitor the persistence of their residues in food items, soil, ground water and environment. These studies have helped to trace and minimize the side effects of pesticides and insecticides. There are concerns that continuous uses of pesticides have negative impacts on the environment and it also results into development of resistance against pesticides in many insect species (ANBP, 2005). Moreover, pesticides not only kill target species but also many other beneficial pest species responsible for maintaining natural ecological balance in the crop fields.
How do radioisotopes decay?
Radioisotopes decay by emission of radiation and energy they posses , can be utilized in wide range of agricultural applications. Nuclear scientists and technologist are unlocking the secrets of many agricultural problems, which could not have been possible with conventional methods. Radioisotopes were used for producing high yielding crop seeds to increase the agricultural yield. Radioisotopes were also used for determining the function of fertilizers in different plants. Radiations from certain radioisotopes were also used for killing insects which damage the food grains. Cereals, fruits, vegetables and canned food can be stored for longer periods by gently exposing them to radiations. Applications of Radioisotopes and radiations are helping us to find the solution of problems in much shorter time. The production of radioisotopes by nuclear reactors and other atomic installations have increased the use of radioisotopes in the field of agriculture. India is a leading producer of radioisotopes in the world and our nuclear scientists are engaged in developing various technologies for the beneficial uses of radioisotopes. This article briefly describes the role of radioisotopes and their radiation in the field of agriculture.
Why is fertilizer important?
Fertilizers are very expensive and their efficient use is of great importance to reduce the production cost of agricultural crops. It is essential that a maximum amount of fertilizer used during cultivation finds its way into the plant and that the minimum is lost. Radioisotopes are very useful in estimating the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen available in the soil. This estimation helps in determining the amount of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers that should be applied to soil. Fertilizers labelled with radioactive isotopes such as phosphorus-32 and nitrogen-15 have been used to study the uptake, retention and utilization of fertilizers. Excessive use of fertilizers effects biodiversity and damages the environment. These isotopes provide a means to determine about amount of fertilizer taken and lost to the environment by the plant (Harderson, 1990). Nitrogen-15 also helps in assessment of nitrogen fixed by plants from the atmosphere under field conditions. IAEA develops and transfers techniques that use radioactive isotopes for measuring the nutrient uptake from various fertilizer sources with an aim to achieve higher and more stable grain yields by optimizing the uptake of nutrients from applied fertilizers (Zapata and Hera, 1995). Only small amount of fertilizer applied to the soil is taken up by the crop. The rest either remains in the soil or is lost through several processes. FAO and IAEA have jointly conducted several research programmes for the efficient use of radioactive isotopes for fertilizer management practices in important agricultural crops like wheat, rice and maize (Hera, 1995).
Abstract
Radioisotopes emit some extraordinary types of energy in form of rays (alpha, beta and gamma), which are very helpful to human beings in minute quantity. These rays are invisible spontaneous and penetrating. Their presence can be easily detected with the help of the latest devices such as Geiger Muller and Scintillation Counters.
References (2)
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
What is the washout of tracer?
Normally, in first phase, labeled form of fertilizers becomes incorporated and then it decreases by incorporation of unlabelled form of fertilizers. This can be also called as washout of tracer.
What is the radioisotope method?
In the radioisotope method, artificial isotopes are added into fertilizers which can create traceable signals in plant system e. g. in roots, stems, branches, leaves. There are two methods to apply labeled fertilizers which include Pulse (-chase-) labeling and dynamic (Long term) labeling.
How can an isotope be traced?
Therefore, an isotope can be traced out because of its radioactive nature or its mass in physical and chemical changes.
What are the main inputs for soil fertility?
Fertilizers are primary input for increasing soil fertility and subsequently agricultural production. Fertilizers provide necessary nutrients and minerals to plants which result in proper growth and development of plant. N, P and K are major fertilizers which are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash.
What is the objective of fertilizer application?
One of which is that, the objective of the fertilizer application is to supply nutrients to plant not to the soil. Last concern is economical. Costs of fertilizers can be minimized with their optimal application which can save millions of money for a country.
Why is fertilizer balance important?
Therefore, nutrient-fertilizer balance is very necessary and essential to preserve the quality of soil as well as for more agricultural production . Second reason behind optimization of fertilizer application is environmental pollution.
What are the nutrients in fertilizer?
Other nutrients such as Boron (B), Sodium ( Na), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg),Manganese (Mn), Chloride (Cl), Iron (Fe),Zn (Zinc),Copper (Cu) and Molybdenum (Mo) also need to be added to maintain and induce proper growth and development.
