Scientists and technologists use radiation and radioisotopes in a few hundred research and agricultural institutions in India. Fertilizers are expensive; inefficient and improper use of fertilizers can damage the environment. We must release only minimum amount to the environment. We can study how fertilizers move in the biosphere by labeling them with a radioactive tracer such as phosphorus-32. We can quantitatively measure the amount of fertilizer used up by the plants.
Studies of pesticides, labeled with radioactive carbon, will help to optimize pesticide use.
Crop losses due to insect infestation are as high as 30 per cent in developing countries. Chemical insecticides are useful to eradicate insects; but are not often very effective. Some insects develop resistance. Insecticide residues are poisonous. Scientists rear male insects in the laboratory in large numbers and sterilize them with radiation before releasing them into the affected field. When these sterile males mate with females no offspring is produced. The insect population will reduce drastically.
Ionizing radiation can be used in plant breeding. Mutation breeding consists of choosing plants with desirable qualities and breeding them separately. Mutations do occur in plants naturally. Irradiation speeds it up helping to enhance the range of variability of plants. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) developed and released 35 mutant crops of ground nut, mung-bean, black-gram, pigeon pea, mustard, jute, rice and soya-bean for commercial cultivation. A dosa or Idli from anywhere in Maharashtra will mostly contain black-gram produced by mutation breeding developed in BARC.
The International Institute of Population Studies, Mumbai in a study found that the infant mortality rates in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh fell by 25 to 30 per cent as a result of distribution of ‘Dai kits’ which consist of basic radiation sterilized items required for delivery in rural homes. Radiation sterilization is a simple process and is carried out at a temperature which is highly reliable.
Post-harvest losses of food-grains in India are as high as 20 to 50 per cent. Radiation processing of food eliminates insect infestation in food grains, reduces microbiological contamination in other foods, and inhibits sprouting of onion and potatoes and delays ripening of fruits such as mangoes. Radiation processing will never make any product radioactive. Indian exporters of the king of fruits may now re-enter the large, premium markets of USA, Japan and other countries.
From April to November 2007, the radiation unit at Vashi processed more than 1000 metric tons of spices and allied products. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI) provides substantial loans and grants to any private sector organization to start radiation processing units and or to build common facilities. Since 1958, scientists have been using radiotracer methods to study silt movement in Indian harbors. Scientists and engineers use radio isotopic methods to trace and measure the extent of underground water resources. Radioisotopes are used in every field. We have not yet started using them on a massive scale, though we began activities in the field during the late 50s. AERB web site www.aerb.gov.in provides information on the regulatory requirements for using radiation sources in India.