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Electromagnetic field, a novel tool to increase germination and seedling vigour of conserved onion (Allium cepa L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds with low viability M.P. Alexander¹ and S.D. Doijode² Summary Onion seed conserved for 5 years with a reduced viability of only 41% was exposed to a static magnetic field created by two identical bar magnets connected in a parallel circuit. The magnets were placed one above the other with opposing polarity with an air gap of 2.5 cm. Seeds were placed in the air gap for pulsing with magnetic field strengths (MFS) of 36, 72, 108 and 144 Oersteds at doses of 30 and 60 minutes of exposure. The MFS of 108 Oersteds for 30 minutes significantly increased emergence, germination of seeds, shoot and root lengths as well as fresh and dry weights of the resultant seedlings. Rice seeds conserved for 6 years with the very low viability of 8.1% were exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field (EMF) created by coupling a function generator with a controlled magnetic field enclosure in a series circuit. The seeds were exposed to a frequency of 5 Hz with an amplitude of 1500 nanoTesla for 12 hours. Pulsing with the alternating EMF significantly increased germination of seed, shoot and root lengths, as well as the shoot/root ratio of seedlings. The increase in germination, compared with the control, was 36.60% for onion and 161.48% for rice. The significant increase in the factors contributing to seedling vigour also showed that magnetic stimulus was beneficial in conserving onion and rice seeds. Magnetic stimulus could be used in genebanks to test the viability of conserved onion and rice seeds about to be discarded because of low viability. Back to originating page
Revised on April 03, 2006. Address comments on the
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