New Approach to Study Stimulating Effect of the Pre-Sowing Barley Seeds Treatment in the Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

Improvement of the agricultural crops seeds quality with their pre-sowing treatment in the electromagnetic field and the subsequent increase in grain yield and studying the mechanisms of stimulating effects – all those are the important problems of science and practice of the crop-growing sector. The purpose of the presented research was to study the mechanism for increasing the germinating ability of spring barley seeds as a result of pre-sowing treatment with an alternating electromagnetic field of an industrial frequency (50 Hz) for one second. After four days of storing, treated seeds were germinated under optimal conditions for this process and the number of germinated seeds of two spring barley varieties was counted each day during seven days period. Also we studied the onset, duration and passage of Microphenological Phases of Seeds Germination (MPPSG), based on the observation and the time registration of each seed morphological changes during germination with two-hour periodicity for seven twenty-four hours. It was established that seeds treatment in an electromagnetic field leads to an acceleration of their germination for one day due to the appearance of rapidly germinating seeds fraction and disappearing of the slowest germinating seeds fraction. This is due to the acceleration of the onset of all MPPSGs and reducing of their duration. Despite the reduction in the absolute values of the duration (in hours) of all MPPSGs, two phases ("Swelling" and "Short roots") began to occupy a greater time percentage in the structure of the germination period after seeds pre-sowing treatment. It is interesting, that treated seeds also absorb more water during the swelling period than untreated seeds, although the duration of that period has shortened. Therefore, the conclusion was made about stimulation of accelerated water absorption by seeds during the swelling period, the duration of which is shortened, by the electromagnetic field. It was established that there are fractions in the seed lots of different spring barley varieties that respond differently to treatment. Consequently, when studying the mechanism of the electromagnetic field influence on seeds germination, it is necessary to study not only the total effect, but also take into account the reaction of individual fractions. The proposed experimental approach can be used as an informative tool for obtaining new knowledge in the field of the stimulating effect of seed treatment in an alternating electromagnetic field of the industrial frequency on their germinating ability and further growth and development of plants.