Effect of Magnetically Treated Water on the Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Aquaponics System

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of magnetized water (MW) treatment on the growth and yield parameters of tomatoes, such as plant height, the number of flowers and fruits developed, and the weight of the fruits in aquaponics system. Methods: Permanent (N52 cuboid) magnets of 2 cm x 1 cm x 0.5 cm were assembled, arranged alternately, and installed along the inlet pipe using an industrial-grade adhesive tape to achieve magnetization in the aquaponics set-up. The experiment considered a single-factor experiment with three levels (control – no magnetic device, magnetic device with six magnets, and magnetic device with twelve magnets), replicated three times, and arranged in a completely randomized design. Findings: Tomatoes when irrigated with magnetically treated water in an aquaponics system showed a significant increase in growth and yield parameters. The plant height and weight of tomato fruits increased by 56.41% (p < 0.01) and 64.12% (p<0.05), respectively, when compared to the control. In addition, tomatoes irrigated with MW using a magnetic device with 12 magnets recorded the highest plant height, the number of flowers, the number of fruits, and the weight. Furthermore, the plant height, the number of flowers and fruits, and the weight of the fruits increased as the number of magnets in the magnetic device increased. Novelty: The integrated application of magnetically treated water in an aquaponics system has not been extensively studied. By focusing on the agronomic response of tomatoes, this study provides useful insight that could improve efficiency, contributing to sustainable production in limited spaces. Keywords: Magnetically Treated Water, Aquaponics, Tomato, Plant Growth, Yield Enhancement