Effect of Magnetic Field and Electric Current Treatments on Growth, Yield and Seedling Parameters in Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum L.)

Abstract

Effect of pre-sowing magnetic field (MF) and electric current treatments on germination, seedling parameters and yield attributes in Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum L) was investigated in this experiment. This study was designed to check the response of magnetic and electric treatments with different intensities and durations on buckwheat on different growth, yield and seedling parameters such as field emergence, leaf surface area, plant height, days to first flowering, seed yield per plant, biological yield, harvest index, germination per-cent, root length, shoot length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, vigour index Ⅰ, seed metabolic efficiency and chlorophyll content (a & b). Seeds of Buckwheat (IC-329456) treated by using an AC magnetic flux intensities 75mT, 100mT, 125mT for 3 and 5 minutes in the magnetic field and AC electric current ranging from 75mA, 100mA, 125mA for 30,60,90 seconds. In this study, it found that among various treatments T6 (Magnetic field @ 125mT for 5 minutes) performing better in terms of field emergence (96.04%), leaf area (30.87m2), days to first flowering(46days), seed yield per plant (8.80g), while lowest was found in control. Results showed that the seeds treated with magnetic field demonstrated remarkable effects on growth and yield parameters of buckwheat. Germination per-cent (99%), seedling fresh weight (0.177g), seedling dry weight (0.035) and chlorophyll (a & b) content was maximum in T6 (Magnetic field @ 125mT for 5 minutes) which performed better among the other treatments. Effect of treatments on seedling parameters were found to be non-significant. Both the electric current and magnetic field treatment of seeds is likely to play an important role in production of food which is free from toxic and chemical residues were beneficial for human consumption.