Parameters of the transition of radionuclides into the biomass of miscanthus gigantus on the lands of the exclusion zone of the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve

The article describes a new culture for Belarus, Miscanthus gigantus, introduced in the conditions of Belarusian Polesie, and also describes its biological and environmental features. It is proposed to use the studied crop for energy purposes. It is assumed that growing plants for energy purposes in Belarus is most promising in the natural and climatic conditions of the Gomel region. The cultivation of miscanthus contributes to solving a number of significant environmental issues. First of all, it ensures obtaining a sustainable harvest of high-quality crop products, which increases the efficiency of using low-fertile lands. Secondly, it improves the humus state and stabilizes the pool of mobile forms of ash elements in the soil, thereby preventing the increasing depletion of its fertility and degradation. The characteristics of the climatic conditions of growth during the experiment from 2020 to 2023 are given. Experimental activities for growing miscanthus gigantus variety «Druzhba-Avtyuki» in the exclusion zone of the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve are described. The parameters of accumulation of Cs137 and Sr90 in the vegetative mass of the plant were determined. The maximum permissible densities of soil contamination were calculated when growing the plant under study for various technical purposes. When growing miscanthus of the giant variety «Druzhba-Avtyuki» on sod-podzolic sandy and sod-podzolic gleyic soils for the production of wood technical raw materials, wood fuel and other non-food forestry products, it is possible without restrictions on the density of contamination with Cs137. At the same time, obtaining normatively pure biomass of the studied crop on soddy-podzolic soils that are temporarily excessively moistened imposes restrictions on the density of soil contamination with cesium-137: 27,85 Ci/km2 – for other non-food forestry products; 22,3 Ci/km2 – for wood technical raw materials; 11,1 Ci/km2 – for wood fuel. It is suggested that there are prospects for using plant raw materials of giant miscanthus, grown on radioactively contaminated lands, for technological purposes (to produce cellulose, biodiesel, biogas), subject to additional research and development of technological operations at real production facilities.