Successful application of nuclear technology in pomelo growing

According to scientists on atomic energy, the application of nuclear technology to agricultural production is a new direction that is being adopted by many countries around the world.

The advantage of this technology in agriculture is to create new varieties with good quality and high yield. At the same time, this technology also helps farmers better preserve post-harvest agricultural products.

In 2007, Da Lat Nuclear Research Center collaborated with the Southeastern Center for Research on Fruit Seed and Dong Nai Department of Science and Technology to begin implementing nuclear radiation to create pomelos. new, representative and responsive to the technical requirements in the world.

After more than 5 years of researching and implementing the topic of producing Tan Trieu orange pomelo variety, Dong Nai with nuclear energy irradiation technology, in order to create new seedless seeds, positive results have been obtained.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Van Sang, Director of Dong Nai Department of Science and Technology, said that to get three seedless pomelo varieties, scientists have put 1,000 branches of clean orange leaf pomelos on seed reactors. Da Lat's agent irradiated with cobalt radioactive source 60.

Tan Trieu orange leaf grapefruit.(Photo: Sy Tuyen / Vietnam +)

After irradiation, 1,000 branches were grafted with 1,000 mother pomelo trees from Tan Trieu pomelo area, Dong Nai and then selected the best and least seeded varieties. From these 1,000 plants, the research team has selected three varieties with seedless fruits including: DLC240, DLC434 and DLC436.

Master Le Van Thuc, a cadre of Da Lat Nuclear Research Institute, who directly participated in the project, said that Tan Trieu orange leaf pomelo is a branded fruit.

Therefore, the goal of Dong Nai province as well as the research team is to create a new pomelo variety of Tan Trieu orange leaf pomelo strain, to create stability and best quality to meet strict technical barriers. of internationalization to bring this fruit not only for domestic consumption but also for export.

Master Thuc said, according to international standards, in one pomelo, there are less than five seeds that have reached the seedless standard. And these three varieties of pomelos have met the international technical requirements. At present, these grapefruit varieties have yielded from one season to two seasons each year.

The research team is currently cooperating with people in Tan Trieu pomelo and Dong Nai to plant 30 ha and harvest.

Tan Trieu pomelo is the first fruit brand of Dong Nai province recognized by Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property at the end of 2006.

Before that, Tan Trieu people only developed pomelos in small scale, in the form of households with an area of ​​about 200ha. However, up to now, this area has developed into a pomelo area with nearly 900 ha in the area of ​​8 communes along Dong Nai river of Vinh Cuu district.

In May 2011, Quality Measurement Technical Center 3 awarded GlobalGap and VietGap certificates to Tan Trieu pomelo growers. In which, there are 5 farming households with an area of ​​6.7ha achieving GlobalGAP certification and 11 households with 3.1ha achieving VietGap.

According to the assessment, the application of nuclear technology to the agricultural production process is a new type, but experts believe that atomic energy will be the key to the domestic agricultural production industry can reach. far from not only in gene mutation, creating new varieties but also improving in processing and post-harvest preservation to meet the technical barriers to bring domestic agricultural products to export abroad.

Dr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission, said that in the past time, Dong Nai has invested boldly in the field of nuclear technology application in agricultural production and has obtained the results. positive results.

Currently, this locality is also developing an irradiation center located in the Center for Biotechnology Application in Cam My District.

When put into use, the above irradiation center will assume the role of irradiation, to help farmers preserve after harvest and eliminate pathogens on agricultural products.

According to the evaluation of scientists in the field of atomic energy, initial success in agricultural production towards the application of high technology through cooperation between the Department of Science and Technology of Dong Nai Province, Research Center Rescue Da Lat nucleus and Southeastern Fruit Research Center in the past time has brought positive results, this will be a new development direction for our agricultural sector in the coming time.