Orientation data on crop improvement by ionizing radiation

In the case of using nuclear weapons or also in cases of disturbances in nuclear energy plants the escape of radioactive material can cause a considerable damage to the environment which means a great danger also to plants. In order to be able to estimate the yield loss after a radiation exposition of our most important agricultural plants, experiments have been made since 1968, talking into consideration both the sort of the plants and the time of the radiation exposition and other parameters. The extensive material obtained can provide the exports with detailed information on the various parameters. The article is to provide especially practitioners with data enabling them to estimate potential damage and showing them that the radiation-sensitivity of most of our plants is so low even in their most sensitive stages that radiation doses causing yield losses are only to be expected in connection with the use of nuclear weapons, but not with the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy. (orig./MG)