The effects of exposure of tomato seeds to 60 Hz magnetic fields on water relations, photosynthesis and plant growth should be investigated.
Tomato seeds were divided into three groups: 1) exposure to a magnetic field of 120 mT for 10 min, 2) exposure to a magnetic field of 80 mT for 5 min, 3) control group. For each group, 4 x 70 seeds were exposed.
| Exposure | Parameters |
|---|---|
|
Exposure 1:
60 Hz
Exposure duration:
10 minutes
|
|
|
Exposure 2:
60 Hz
Exposure duration:
5 minutes
|
| Frequency | 60 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform | |
| Exposure duration | 10 minutes |
| Exposure source | |
|---|---|
| Setup | exposure system consisted of two pairs of cylindrical coils, each formed by 4026 turns of 0.41-mm enameled copper wire; each pair of coils was wound 11 cm apart on an iron bar (dimensions 40 x 3.5 cm); the two bars were placed one above the other, their ends held by metallic supports; a sinusoidal non-uniform magnetic field was generated in the airspace between the two bars; dry tomato seeds were piled in the center of a Petri dish on the pole of the electromagnet; no magnetic field other than that the local geomagnetic field was detected within the electromagnet when the system was switched off |
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 120 mT | effective value | measured | - | - |
| Frequency | 60 Hz |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Waveform | |
| Exposure duration | 5 minutes |
| Exposure source |
|
|---|
| Measurand | Value | Type | Method | Mass | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magnetic flux density | 80 mT | effective value | measured | - | - |
Plants from seeds exposed to magnetic fields (groups 1 and 2) maintained better leaf water status in terms of significant increases in leaf water potential, leaf osmotic potential, leaf turgor potential and relative water content as well as significant decreases in stomatal conductance and transpiration rate compared to the control group. Moreover, net photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids and total chlorophyll contents signficantly increased in plants from groups 1 and 2 compared to the control group. There was also a significant increase in root length, plant height, root and shoot dry mass, leaf area per plant, and root and shoot relative growth rates in groups 1 and 2 compared to the control group.
The authors conclude that exposure of tomato seeds to 60 Hz magnetic fields might improve water relations, photosynthesis and plant growth.
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