Nuclear irradiation breeding, as a breeding technique that uses radioactive isotopes or ionizing radiation to induce genetic variation in plants, has a wide range of application scenarios.
The following are the main application scenarios of nuclear irradiation breeding:

1、 Breeding of new crop varieties

Nuclear irradiation breeding plays an important role in the breeding of new crop varieties. By using gamma rays emitted by radioactive isotopes such as cobalt-60 and cesium-137, or electron beams generated by accelerators to irradiate crop seeds, pollen, plants, etc., changes in genetic genes within plants can be induced, resulting in various variations. After several generations of artificial selection and cultivation, new and excellent varieties can be obtained. These new varieties often have excellent characteristics such as high yield, high quality, disease resistance, and drought resistance, which are of great significance for improving crop yield and agricultural product quality.

2、 Preservation and sterilization of agricultural products

Although nuclear irradiation breeding mainly focuses on the selection of new varieties, nuclear irradiation technology also has important applications in the preservation and sterilization of agricultural products. The use of high-energy radiation to irradiate agricultural and sideline products can cause ionization and other effects on microbial cells, leading to death, thereby achieving sterilization, preservation, and prolonging the edible period. This technology is widely used in the processing and preservation of agricultural products such as food, fruits, and vegetables, ensuring food safety and extending shelf life.

3、 Research and Improvement of Plant Growth

Nuclear irradiation technology can also be used for plant growth research. For example, using radioactive isotope tracing techniques (such as phosphorus-32, nitrogen-15, hydrogen-3, carbon-14, etc.) can track and observe the growth and development process of plants or crops, study the relationship between plant nutrition and metabolism, and how plants absorb the necessary substances for themselves. Through these studies, fertilization methods and soil management techniques can be improved, opening up innovative methods for stable and high yield crops.

4、 Applications in other fields

In addition to the main application scenarios mentioned above, nuclear irradiation technology has also been applied in other fields. For example, in insect control, nuclear irradiation technology can be used to sterilize pests, thereby achieving the goal of controlling the number of pests. In addition, nuclear irradiation technology can also be used for the modification treatment of polymer materials such as medical products and blood products, as well as non-destructive testing of industrial products.

Nuclear irradiation breeding, as an advanced breeding technology, has broad application prospects in the breeding of new crop varieties, preservation and sterilization of agricultural products, research and improvement of plant growth, and other fields. With the continuous development of science and technology, nuclear irradiation breeding technology will continue to improve and innovate, bringing more benefits to agricultural production and human life.