Application of nuclear science for sustainable development in agriculture: addressing current and future challenges

Agriculture, which is pivotal to human sustenance, has shaped the evolution of civilization. Food security of the entire world population is largely dependent on continuous innovations/improvements in the agriculture sector. Global crop production faces serious challenges due to the onset of various biotic and abiotic stresses, including climate change. In the near future, due to changing agricultural practices, all these challenges are likely to be aggravated further. Nuclear science has been used for several decades to improve different aspects of agriculture for enhancing crop productivity. The current article discusses applications of nuclear radiation for developing improved crop varieties via the induced mutation breeding approach. Furthermore, the use of nuclear radiation to (a) develop formulations that boost plant growth or protect crops against diseases (b) manage major insect pests and (c) prevent post-harvest losses, is reviewed. In addition, the use of radioisotopes in studying nutrient uptake, transport and its distribution within plants is also discussed. This article concludes by emphasising the need to integrate molecular tools in conventional breeding approaches for addressing the emerging challenges. (author)