THE EFFECT OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT ON THE Cs-137 CONCENTRATION IN CROPS

Abstract

The Cs-137 concentration of oats grown in peat in the greenhouse was affected only slightly by liming. The values were considerably higher than those obtained when mineral soils were used. The effect of different levels of soil organic matter on Cs-137 concentration in oats and alfalfa was obscured by variable exchangeable soil-K contents. But high Cs-137 concentrations were associated with high organic-matter contents provided K was added to the soils. In contrast to the results obtained with oats, the Cs-137 concentration in lettuce grown after oats was found to decrease with increase in soil organic-matter content. It was concluded that the effect of organic matter on the Cs-137 concentration in the second or subsequent crop in a rotation might be different from its effect in the first crop.