A greenhouse pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of
waste mica (0, 10, 20 and 40 g kg-1) on reducing the radiocesium uptake by
spinach (Spinacia olerecea L) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa
L.) grown in 134Cs-contaminated (at 37 k Bq kg-1 soil)
Inceptisols, Vertisols and Ultisols. The biomass yield, and potassium content and its
uptake by crops have been significantly improved by waste mica application. The crops
grown in Vertisols recorded higher biomass yield, and K content and its uptake as compared
with Inceptisols and Ultisols. The average 134Cs transfer factor values
recorded were : 0.21, 0.17 and 0.26 at the first cutting, 0.15, 0.12 and 0.28 at the
second cutting and 0.07, 0.05 and 0.23 at the third cutting from Inceptisols, Vertisols
and Ultisols, respectively. Waste mica significantly suppressed radiocesium uptake, the
effect being more pronounced at 40 g mica kg-1soil. There exists an inverse
relationship between the 134Cs transfer factors with plant potassium content
and also the K uptake by the crops