agronomy agricultural physics agricultural meteorology soil science

Hoppe, W, Lohmann, W, Mark, H, and Hubert, Z, 1983, Biophysics, Springer Verlag,
Berlin.
Narayanan, P. 1998. Essentials of Biophysics, New Age International Publishing
Co.Pvt. New Delhi.
Neuhoff, V. 1973. Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 14, p.205.
London; Chapman and Hall: Berlin, Heidelberg and New York; Spriknger-Verlag
Pain, R.H and Smith, B.J, Eds. 1975. New Techniques in Biophysics and Cell Biology,
Wiley, London.
Rashevsky, N, 1960, Mathematical Biophysics, Physico-Mathematical Foundations
of Biology, Vol.2, Dover Publications, New York.
9. Nuclear techniques in agriculture and biology
Structure of atom; atomic nucleus- its constituents, structure and stability, nuclear
forces and energetics; mass formula; radio activity-natural, artificial and induced;
characteristics of alpha, beta and gamma radiations; law of radio active disintegration,
half life, radio activity in a mixture of different radio nuclides; radio active
equilibria (secular and transient); units of radio activity; interactions of nuclear
radiations with matter; detection and measurement of nuclear radiations; Geiger-
Muller, solid and liquid scintillation counters, nuclear emulsions; nuclear reactorsfission,
fusion and breeder reactors; particle accelerators; detection and measurement
of stable isotopes; concepts of isotope tracer methodology, isotopes tracer applications
in micronutrient studies; autoradiography; nuclear techniques as analytical
tools- activation analysis, Mossbauer and NMR spectroscopic applications in
agriculture, gamma probe and neutron moisture meter; low level radiation in agriculture
and biology, radiation hormesis, radiation induced phenomena; food irradiation;
radiation protection; radio active waste disposals.
Practical
Discharge of electricity through gases; ionization current measurements; photoelectric
effect and measurements; Geiger Muller counter- quenching time; Thickness
measurement of thin films / foils / paper sheets; Half-life determination; tracer applications
of artificial radio nuclides; multi-channel analyser; neutron moisture meter;
use of NMR spectrometer; seed irradiation with gamma rays; radiocarbon dating.
Suggested Readings
Arnikar, H.J. 1989. Isotopes in the Atomic Age, Wiley Eastern, Ltd, New Delhi.
Bhaskaran, S. Ghosh, S.K. and Sethi, G.R. 1973. Proceedings of the International
Symposium on Use of Isotop'es and Radiation in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Research, Nuclear Research Laboratory, Indian Agricultural Research
Institute, New Delhi.