Effect of magnetic field on germination of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Proteins are one of the basic and essential required compounds for life, and the creatures receive it either from a plant or animal origin. It has been reported that the positive effects caused by applying the magnetic field are due to the paramagnetic properties of the cells within the plant, and pigments such as the Chloroplast. Biophysical methods (magnetic fields, electricity, etc.) could improve the growth of plants with high energy rates. These methods, improve the energy levels independent from their source, and increase the electric potential of the cell membrane. Stimulating physical methods do not affect the physiological traits of the plant controlled by the genetic systems. In order to study the effect of intensity and duration of magnetic field on some properties of seed germination of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivar ILC482 an experiment was conducted in Advanced Research Laboratory of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The goal of the experiment was to determine the possibility of improving the germination and vigor of the chickpea seed by using various intensities and durations of a magnetic field.
The experiment included magnetic field intensities (100 and 150 mT magnetic field), five exposure duration (60, 120, 180, 240 and 350 min) and control. After preparing the seeds, 40 seeds were placed in a transparent plastic bag between the magnetic poles in order to apply the magnetic field. For applying the magnetic field, the magnetic generator was used made up from two strong, constant magnets which the opposite poles faced one another, and the field intensity was changed by changing the distance between them. The seeds with a root length of over 2 millimeters were recorded as germinated. At the end of the test (day 10), the shoot and root lengths, seed, root, and shoot fresh weights were measured and recorded. The statistical tests were done via the MSTAT-C and SIGMAPLOT 12 software, and the EXCEL 2007 also was used in drawing the charts. Duncan's multiple range tests was used to compare means. All statements of significance were based on probability of P