Pre-sowing treatment of grain seeds with a low-frequency electromagnetic field

BACKGROUND: The conducted laboratory studies of the effect of a low-frequency magnetic field on the productivity of grain seeds revealed stimulation of the biophysical and bio-chemical properties of the seeds, an increase in their germination, germination energy and plant growth, which corresponds to the research plan of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of breeding and seed production of cereals until 2030. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a low-frequency electromagnetic field on the productivity indicators of an industrial batch of grain seeds. METHODS: The research was carried out in accordance with the GOST on a prototype of the equipment for electromagnetic exposure on 11 varieties of grain seeds according to 5 indicators of productivity: laboratory germination, field germination, germination density, plant density before harvesting, yield rate. The varied parameters were the irradiation modes: frequency (Hz), magnetic induction (mT), exposure time (min). RESULTS: An increase in the yield rate of the irradiated industrial batches of grain seeds compared with the non-irradiated ones up to 22% was found, while an increase in laboratory germination up to 17%, field germination up to 10%, germination density up to 10%, plant density before harvesting up to 11% were found. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of the irradiation modes of industrial seed masses has been proven by an increase in yield rate for the following varieties: 16 Hz, 25 mT, 25 min — for the Ester spring wheat varieties (an increase of 13%); 50 Hz, 25 mT, 25 min — for the Znatny spring barley (an increase of 5%); 75 Hz, 25 mT, 5 min — for the Povolzhskaya 21 winter wheat varieties (increase of 22%); 16 Hz, 10 mT, 25 min — for the Povolzhskaya Niva winter wheat (increase of 19%), Moskovskaya 39 (increase of 13%).