Effect of square pulsed magnetic field exposure on growth kinetics of Dickeya solani

Abstract

The effect of square pulsed magnetic signals on the growth of Dickeya solani bacterium was studied. Three different frequency windows in a range up to 50 Hz were selected for exposure to determine the frequencies causing maximum bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. Furthermore, the cellular morphological changes under most inhibitory conditions were studied and bacterial pathogenicity was examined. The obtained data showed the most inhibitory frequency that caused an inhibition by 65% and delayed the cellular growth by more than 8 h is 5 Hz. The morphological studies of exposed bacterium cells showed cellular abnormalities and fragmentations and loss of membrane outer surface charges. The pathogenicity test exposed a significant decrease in the infection reached 68%. In conclusion, the present study developed better disease strategy for controlling the bacterium of D. solani in an efficient and safe manner. Moreover, the applicability of using pulsed electromagnetic signals may have a good role in bacterial inhibition.

Keywords:

• Soft rot and blackleg disease
• extremely low frequency (ELF)
• electromagnetic waves (EMWs)
• square pulsed magnetic fields (SPMF)
• transmission electron microscope (TEM)
• pathogenicity

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Bernard Quere and his team from Federation Nationale des Producteurs de Plants de Pomme de Terre (FN3PT) for providing the bacterium of D. solani.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.