Does the use of hydrogenated water H2 help reduce water consumption in agriculture?

Improving seed performance by conditioning seeds in hydrogenated water (H2) has been known and demonstrated in recent years. While hydrogen gas (H2) is considered a signaling molecule and plays multiple roles in plant growth and its beneficial effects on many human pathologies, its role in reducing water consumption has not yet been studied. While various water treatment methods that impact plant quality exist, very few methods have been implemented to understand the impact of water treatment on a potential reduction in water consumption. This study was conducted to investigate the mechanisms for improving the germination of black radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seeds. Black radish is a vegetable cultivated worldwide due to its nutritional qualities. The seeds were grown in multi-tiered sprouters and watered daily with tap water and filtered water enriched with molecular hydrogen (H2). How to use environmentally friendly technology to improve plant quality is a challenge for the scientific community. Here, we showed that the application of molecular hydrogen in the form of hydrogen nanobubbles (H2) could increase the length and weight of 100 germinated seeds, compared to irrigation with tap water. Water enriched with hydrogen at 50 ml yielded superior results compared to tap water irrigated with 100 ml and water enriched with hydrogen (H2) at 10 ml. The growth parameters concerned were root and shoot length, weight, and UPE photon value.