October 4, 2022 Professor Tsukada conducted a survey in Katsurao Village, Fukushima.
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Professor TSUKADA Hirofumi conducted a research in the paddy fields of Katsurao Village, where experimental cultivation is underway for the resumption of agricultural operations.
This survey was conducted as part of a joint project by Katsurao Village, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), and Fukushima University.
Professor Tsukada specializes in environmental radioecology, and his research includes elucidating the transfer of radionuclides from soil and irrigation water to crops. This time, rice and soil samples were collected at the time of rice harvest. With a soil core sampling device, six soil cores were collected to a depth of about 30 cm by turning a handle of the device.
The collected soil will be brought back to the laboratory to identify the speciation of radioactive materials, measure the radioactivity, and determine the transfer of radioactive materials from the soil and irrigation water to the rice plants.
This survey has been conducted continuously and periodically twice a month since rice planting. Similar surveys have also been conducted in Okuma Town, which have continued for 5 to 6 years, changing locations.
In addition, the NARO conducts surveys research on soil fertilizer composition, rice yield, and eating quality in their respective fields of expertise.
We will continue to conduct this research so that farmers can resume agricultural operations with peace of mind and grow rice safely in the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base.
