Interception and retention of wet-deposited radiocaesium and radiostrontium on a ley mixture of grass and clover

The interception of radionuclides by the ley was largest at the late growth stages; the spike and tassel/flowering (code 5:6) in the 1st year, and at flowering/initial flowering (code 6:5) in the 2nd year. There was a correlation between radionuclide interception and above ground plant biomass, as well as with LAI, for both radionuclides in both years. The highest activity concentrations of both radionuclides were measured after deposition at the late growth stages and were found to be higher in the 2nd year. The weathering half-lives were shorter at the earlier growth stages than at the later growth stages for both radionuclides. For the magnitude of deposition chosen in our experiment, it can be concluded that the above ground biomass is a good predictor and the LAI a more uncertain predictor of the interception of radiocaesium and radiostrontium by ley grass and clover.