nuclearwar

Today's entry in my diary reflects upon the remarkable findings of radiobotanists, who have delved deep into the realm of plant sensitivity to radiation. Their investigations have illuminated a vast array of responses exhibited by different plant species when subjected to this perilous force. It is intriguing to note that within our shattered natural plant community, certain species seem to vanish under the weight of radiation, while others carry on seemingly unaffected. These ecological revelations have shed light on the notion that plants accustomed to harsh environmental conditions display greater resilience against the injuries inflicted by radiation (Woodwell, 1967). My thoughts drift to Table 5, which presents the anticipated lethal levels of radiation doses for selected vegetables and field crops, as prophetically foretold by Sparrow in 1963. These predictions pertain specifically to acute dose rates that one may expect to encounter within a fallout-infested landscape. However, it is essential to recognize that the concept of a singular lethal dose can be misleading. As I read Sparrow's words, '... There are differences in tolerance associated with different seasons or different stages in the growth of a particular species or crop. For instance, one cannot generally merely state an overall tolerance for a species. It is necessary to specify whether the seeds, seedlings, young or mature plants, pollen, embryos, etc., were irradiated.... For each of the aforementioned stages, a distinct dosage may be required to incite lethal or severe effects, or from an economic standpoint, to decimate the crop.' Reading further, I grasp the lamentable reality that there exists a scarcity of radiobiological data, leaving us bereft of precise knowledge regarding the fate of most crops following specific levels and types of radiation exposure. This dearth of information has profound implications, making it arduous for agricultural economists like myself to predict the consequences that await our farming regions in the wake of anticipated fallout radiation levels. The uncertainty weighs heavily upon my heart, for the well-being of our beloved crops and other economically valuable plant species hangs in the balance, their fate entwined with the enigmatic forces of radiation"