Saving Harvests Through Nuclear Technology

Crop diseases are one of the most challenging threats we face, affecting everyone on the planet directly or indirectly. Like so many crops, wheat — a key component for bread making — has over periods of time faced horrific destruction from diseases. One such disease, a wheat stem rust caused by a new virulent race (Ug99) can destroy whole wheat crops in a matter of days. Getting into action, the international community has strived over the years to protect crops against plant diseases. Leading in the use of nuclear techniques, the Joint FAO/IAEA Laboratories at Seibersdorf, Austria, irradiate seeds to induce biological variation from which varieties with disease resistance may be developed, thereby helping farmers as well as consumers.