Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-04
Radioactive Fertilizers
Fail to Stimulate Crops
Extensive Tests Carried Out
After Hiroshima Reports
By Themes R. Henry

Claims that radioactive fertilizers
stimulate crops now have been almost
completely diScredited.
They either make no difference or. II
the radioactivity rises above mini
mum, are quite harmful.
This has just been reported by the
Atomic Energy Commission as result
OF extensive tests carried out by the
Agriculture Department and State ex-
permanent stations. The idea that they
might be beneficial arose from reports
OF extraordinary plant growth III the
bombed areas Of Hiroshima and Nag
asaki few years after the bombings.
investigation of these claims" the
commission reports, has fully eStab-
llshed that the stimulation came not
from raGioactivity but from q cOmbi-
nation OF other causes"
In the American experiments II COM
mon crops were grown in plots to which
low concentrations of radioactive mate
rlals were applied. No differences either
Tor good or bad, were found. These find
lnss, however. were based OH the use Of
extremely minute amounts Of radiOac-
tive materials.
AAi6u CONGRATULATIONS leStcU.
There now is definite evidence, the
commission reports. that much higher
concentrations are decidedly detrimen-
tal. group OF Agriculture Department
plant scientists grew young barley
plants in nutrient solutions containing
various amounts OF radioactive phos-
phofus. When the total amount Of
phosphorus, an essential for the plants
nutrition. Was low, the roots and leaves
were greatly retarded by the presence
OF The radioactive material. When the
amount of non-radioactive phosphorus
was Increased this damage was less.
showing that the plants avoided the
radioactive material when they could
get along without it.
Even small amounts, it was found.
dennltely injured the growing parts
OF the plant, stems and root tips. Def
mite cell damage resulted. There was.
however, some speeding up of plant
maturity. at the price of damage to
the tissue.
Essential to plant life is nitrogen in
the soil. This is concentrated from
the air by micro-organiSms which at
Cach themselves to the root tips of
certain plants 1t was found that quite
small amounts of radioactivity dam
ageo these root bacteria to the extent
that they lost much of their ability
10 nix nitrogen. The amounts causing
inns effect, however, were considerably
larger than those ordinarily proposed
1or radioactive fertilizer.
The actual effects, the Atomic En-
ergy commission report points out still
are obscure and will REQUIRE much
further study.
seventeen new nerve viruses. most
OF them found lurking in dark denths
OF tropical forests out of which some
oay tney may surge as new menaces
10 man, now are being studied bv
"ocKeIeiler Foundation scientists.
All are lnf1nitesimally minute organ.
lsms which cauSe-in rabbits and mice
ana possibly in man-maladies in the
same general class as polio and various
forms OF sleeping sickness. Manv
VlruSeS. it long has been known. have
a strong affinity for nerve tissue.
Only two of the II new organisms
came from human beings. The others
were obtained from jungle mosouitoes
"hlch presumably spread them to ami
mails. Some OF them appear, from the
amman tests. to be quite deadly and
widespread
among the worst is the Semliki
Forest virus. 1t comes from the depths
OF the great. almost impenetrable forest
along both banks of the Semliki River
which runs between Lakes Albert and
EDWARD Nyanza in Western Uganda.
IhlS IS the habitat of one of the worlds
strangest peocles-the red-headed. cop-
perish pigmieS who Turk in the Jungle
depths. They may we'll have an &C
CURED immunity to the disease over
hundreds of generations.
Kills Within Three Dats,
A distinguishing character of this
Semllkl Forest virus is the rapidity of
It's action. 1t kills animals within three
days after their brains are inoculated.
Some OF the others produce diseases
that end fatally in two or three weeks.
Animal tests now show, the Rockefeller
scientists report. that this virus Is iden-
teal with similarly acting organism
obtained from the great Kumba Jungle
IN the Cameroons. on the opposite coast
OF Africa. 1t may well be distributed
generally through the jungle country.
Most OF the others appear to be quite
localized
This virus has proved the most diffi-
cult Of all to obtain in q pure form.
The instrument used has been the ultra
centrifuge. which sharply separates
particles Of different mass. But. it is
recognized, the purest samples OBJ
tanned have been mixed with other
brain-cell particles. Photographs with
the electron microscope have, however.
showed particles which could not be
identified with anything else in the
brain. The pictures may be of the &C
tual ultramicroscopic organisms.