Uptake and retention of simulated fallout of radiocaesium and radiostrontium by different agriculture crops

Abstract

The contamination level in potato, oilseed rape and wheat in terms of tubers, seeds and foliage has been investigated after the foliar application of wet-deposited 134Cs and 85Sr at different growth stages in a microscale field experiment conducted over consecutive years. The results indicate that the application of radionuclides in the beginning of the growth season resulted in low 134Cs and 85Sr activity in both seeds of wheat, oilseed rape and potato tubers across sampling occasions. In the middle of the growth season during radionuclide fallout, 134Cs activity in potato tubers across sampling occasions was highest. The spraying of radionuclides at later stages resulted in even lower 134Cs activity in potato tubers but increased activity in seeds of wheat and oilseed rape.