Stimulation of germination and growth in Soybean seeds by stationary magnetic field treatment

Abstract

The effects of stationary magnetic field on seeds are studied using two soybean varieties and three magnetic induction values: 100, 150 and 200 mT during 30 seconds of exposure. The germination percent, root and stem length as well as fresh and dry mass were measured under laboratory conditions, at the second week after sowing. The plant grown from treated samples (100 and 150 mT) and non-treated (B=0) were also evaluated under field conditions. The values of plant height (65 days after sowing) and the values of pod number, pod length and yield at 110 days (at the end of the plant cycle), were obtained. The results showed the enhanced of the germination percentage and root length of the Conquista and Incasoy-24 varieties treated with stationary magnetic field of 150 mT and 100 mT respectively. The rest of the parameters evaluated did not show differences with respect to the non-treated sample. These respective exposure regimes also provoked a significant stimulation on the yield and an inhibition on the plant height at 110 days, while the magnetic treatment of 100 mT enhanced significantly the plant height of Incasoy-24 variety at 65 days after sowing (P<0.05).