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PTION OF TUMORS ON IPOMOEA TUBA FROM THE A-BOMB TEST SITES ON ENIWETOK ATOLL

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Appendix to Radicbiological Survey of Bikini,

Eniwetok, and Likiep Atolls-~July-August 1949

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By Susann F. Biddulph and Orlin Biddulph

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Tumors on plants of Ipomoea tuba were found on Engebi Island during the
At this time (17 months from

fay gue?

pobiological survey of July and August, 1949.

TNRCHA TURE
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est shot on Engebi Island) many of the Ipomoea tuba plants located in an
400 to 600 yards from the bomb crater showed tumorous growths of various
“The tumorous plants were found in disjunct areas of grass which had
een fully covered by the dense growth of Ipomoea which surrounded them

Fa a RE oly,

esstMe

re 1).

This species of Ipomoea is a vine with large heart-shaped leaves and a
which grows prostrate on the ground to a length of some ten meters (Figure 2).
The tumorous deformations on the plant varied from small warty out-growths

chonodes on the basal portions of the stem (Figure 3) to huge, convoluted

The ability of the plants to recover from the deforma~

L was indicated by the fact that the tumors were confined to the basal nodes
the first case mentioned above, and that even in the most severe cases

leaves were occasionally produced from tumorous masses (Figure 4).
Morphological and physiological abnormalities were found in other plants
These were noted in the original

port by both Biddulph and St. John (30) and included

twisted stems and
wR

«

» reduced leaves, abnormal fruits, double flowers, color changes, etoe

ar as observed, Ipomoea tuba was the only plant to show tumorous growths.
Time and facilities did not permit a study of the tumors during the sure

AECD-3446 (App. )

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TOsEST TO OERABI, “ORS AnserR

on some of the other islands surveyede

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dimeters in height.

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rous masses completely covering a stem which had been reduced to only a few

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