Varietal difference in radiocesium uptake and transfer from radiocesium deposited soils in the genus Amaranthus

摘要

Within Amaranthaceae, 33 different varieties, including local varieties from Japan, were grown in 2012 in a field in the town of Iino in the Fukushima prefecture, which is located approximately 51km north of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). The contamination level of the soil was 2770 +/- 140Bq kg(-1) dry weight ((134)Cesium (Cs)+Cs-137, average +/- SE), and the field was also cultivated in 2011. There was a significant varietal difference in the dry weight production, radiocesium accumulation and transfer factor (TF) of radiocesium from the soil to the plant. The ratio of the lowest TF to the highest TF was approximately 3. Because the ratio of Cs-137 to Cs-133 was significantly positive, radiocesium seems to be absorbed in a manner similar to that of Cs-133. It is suggested that the varietal difference in the behavior of radiocesium uptake mainly depends on its genetic background rather than on environmental factors.