I. INTRODUCTION 



Severe radioactive contamination of land might result from the deposition of 

 fallout originating in the detonation of nuclear weapons or nuclear reactor accidents. 

 The deposition of fallout on soil or plants would introduce radioactive isotopes into 

 the food chains of animals and man. 



The Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation on Agriculture and Food Sup- 

 plies, National Academy of Sciences— National Research Council, requested the 

 compilation of current informiation on the reactions of radioactive constituents of 

 fallout with soils and crops, in order to determine whether knowledge is available 

 for the formulation of agronomic recommendations. This report is an attempt to 

 summarize the existing information on this subject, especially with respect to origi- 

 nal sources of experimental results. 



