EFFECT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON IN VITRO POLLEN GERMINATION OF PLANT SPECIES FROM VARIOUS ECOLOGICAL HABITATS

All electrical equipment including solar panel emit electromagnetic radiation. In the present study, effect of Electromagnetic field (EMF) was observed during in vitro pollen germination of Catharantus roseus, Bombax siba, Ipomea aquatica and azolla pinnata collected from arid, terrestrial, marshy and aquatic habitat, respectively. To generate EMF, Hall experiment instrument was used with DC at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Amp/min. Compared to control, rate of in vitro pollen germination was found to be higher with EMF treatments when observed after 2-4 hrs. The response of these treatments was higher in aquatic plant sp. compared to terrestrial plant. The arid plant species was found to get least affected by the EMF treatments. Moreover, for the treatments above 3 Amp/min., generating 338 Guass and above of EMF, the cytoplasmic content of some of the pollen was lost and degradation of cell membrane and distortion of pollen tube was observed, showing a risk of EMF for pollen viability.