Change of growth pattern, metabolism, and quality and quantity of maize plants after irrigation with magnetically treated water

Abstract

Water molecules can be affected by magnetic fields (MF) due to their bipolar characteristics. In the present study maize plants, from sowing to the end period of generative stage, were irrigated with magnetically treated water (MTW).Tap water was treated with MF by passing through a locally designed alternative magnetic field generating apparatus (110 mT). Irrigation with MTW increased the ear length and fresh weight, 100-grain fresh and dry weights, and water productivity (119.5%, 119.1%, 114.2%, 116.6% and 122.3%, respectively), compared with the control groups. Levels of photosynthetic pigments i.e. chlorophyll a and b, and the contents of anthocyanin and flavonoids of the leaves were increased compared to those of non-treated ones. Increase of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in leaves of the treated plants efficiently scavenged active oxygen species and resulted in the maintenance of photosynthetic membranes and reduction of malondealdehyde. Total ferritin, sugar, iron and calcium contents of kernels of MTW-irrigated plants were respectively 122.9%, 167.4%, 235% and 185% of the control ones. From the results presented here it can be concluded that the influence of MF on living plant cells, at least in part, is mediated by water. The results also suggest that irrigation of maize plant with MTW can be applied as a useful method for improvement of quantity and quality of it.

• Antioxidant enzymes
• ferritin
• lipid peroxidation
• magnetically treated water
• maize

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. This work was supported by grant No. 93012942 from the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) to FGH on “Feasibility study of iron and calcium bio-fortification of certain high consuming crop plants by magnetized water.” The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.