Before the advent of genome editing and GMOs, mutagenesis was achieved through radiation. This technique was also used to modify varieties of durum wheat, which, through crossbreeding, contributed to the production of pasta consumed in Italy (see this old statement made by Norberto Pogna to Nature Biotechnology). The term “atomic spaghetti” is sometimes invoked in debates on agricultural biotechnology to highlight how modern techniques are vastly more precise than those of the past. However, few people are aware of the full complexity of this story.

To learn more about this case study, set in Italy from the 1950s to the 1970s, be sure to read the paper by historian Francesco Cassata in this special issue of Agricultural History. Below the aerial view of the gamma field established in 1960 near Rome (Luigi Rossi private archive).