A dangerous mutant plant causes chaos in this science fiction thriller

Scientist Ralph Exon, working for an international fertiliser corporation, has created a new strain of soya bean: a mutation which he hopes will help eliminate Third World famine. But in that plant, known as the Exon strain, there lurks the Destruction Factor.

As it rapidly grows – shooting up from six inches to two feet in mere hours – the plant produces oxygen at massively increased levels, sparking uncontrollable fires. And when its seeds escape from the laboratory and are distributed throughout the country, Exon’s colleague Max Flinders realises that if left unchecked, the plants’ oxygen output will destabilise the atmosphere to such an extent that human life could become extinct.

After an emergency vent of the biodome causes an explosion that brings down a jumbo jet, the UN become involved. They issue the British government with an ultimatum: track down and destroy the Exon strain, or they will carpet-bomb the entire country with deadly defoliants…

Written by James Follett, creator of the acclaimed Earthsearch, this dark, sinister radio drama stars T P McKenna, Paul Copley, Rosalind Adams and Clifford Rose.

Originally broadcast in March 1978.

Episode 1: The Seeds of Creation
A new strain of plant is created to bring relief to famine ridden countries. It may look innocent but destruction lurks within.

Episode 2: The Devil’s Harvest
How can a pot plant be two feet tall when it was only six inches high a few hours previously?

Episode 3: The Wings Of Azreal
Ralph Exon intends to end famine with his newly developed plant, but even though it looks innocent it has a Destruction Factor.

Episode 4: Birdstrike
‘If there are plants in hell, they’ll probably be like the plants that my poor father created’. Classic sc-fi by James Follett.

Episode 5: Search and Destroy
Selfish farmers hoarding the Exxon strain come in for a bashing when the implications of an oxygen-rich atmosphere become clear.

Episode 6: World Without Fire
Before the US start their ‘defoliation’ program, the British government must track all the Exxon seeds. With TP McKenna.