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significant results and the plantation area of each of these items exceeds
10 million acres. Our nation is in the forefront in this field in terms of
number of species, area of plantation and economic benefit obtained. In
recent years the scope of study has been expanded to cover flowers and trees,
medicinal herbs and microorganisms.
2.
Production Increase Stimulated by Radiation
A small amount of radiation can foster the growth of living things.
Exposure to a small amount of rays
rays or neutron irradiation can boost the
fertility of tussahs by 10 to 20% and improve the quality of silk.
can also raise the incubation rate of carp fish eggs and the survival rate
Radiation
of young carp fish. Exposing the eggs of shrimps and young shrimps to radia-
tion can yield similar results.
3.
Pest Control by Insect Sterilization
Exposure to a certain amount of ionising radiation can destroy
the reproduction cells of insects without killing them, thus preventing their
completion of the alternation of ganerations.
When a large number of insect which has been sterilized is released
in an area plagued by the same species, the sterilized insect will mate with
the healthy one but they cannot reproduce their next generation, thus achieving
the aim of pest control. The merits of this method are 1. accurately aiming
at the target insect, 2. long lasting effect, 3. no pollution to the environ-
ment and 4. harmless to human being and other living things.
4.
Storage of farm and Side-line Products
During the process of storage and transportation, farm and side-
line products and seafood may easily go mouldy or rotten. Radiation can kill
the microorganisms in food and destroy worms and their eggs in grains, thus
prolonging the shelf life of fish, meat, vegetable and fruit, improving
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