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IAEA looks at nuclear techniques for crop resilience
The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched a five-year coordinated research project (CRP) to strengthen plant health preparedness using nuclear and related technologies.
Wheat blast, potato late blight, potato bacterial wilt, and cassava witches broom disease can spread quickly across large areas of land, leading to severe yield losses in key crops for food security. Global trade and climate change have increased the likelihood of rapid, transboundary spread.
Charles W. Forsberg
Nuclear Technology | Volume 76 | Number 1 | January 1987 | Pages 185-192
Technical Note | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT87-A33909
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Current boiling water reactors (BWRs) use active safety systems comprised of pumps, valves, motors, and diesel generators. These active safety systems (a) are a major cause of controversy in licensing power reactors because of reliability questions, (b) have high capital costs, and (c) require constant maintenance. An advanced BWR concept with passive emergency core cooling systems (PECOS) offers a basic alternative approach to reactor safety. In the PECOS-BWR, passive emergency core cooling is provided for the first 24 h by gravity flow of stored water released through fluidic valves that have no moving parts. Natural-draft air cooling removes heat from the core for longer periods.