The efficiency of weak ELF (extremely low frequency) EMF on living systems can be explained by taking into account the nonstationary processes that arise when ions pass part of the intermembrane distance during the EMF period. The periodic movement of ions in the heterogeneous medium would result in the nonlinear effects influencing the ionic strength and pH near the membrane and the release of some peripheral proteins to the water phase. Based on this notion, we studied the effects of EMF treatment (30 or 50 Hz, 30 mT) at different stages of imbibition of wheat seeds. The treatment at the stage of activation of esterases increased the leakage of the products of esterase reaction with its following retardation, which contrasts with the linear kinetics for untreated seeds and for seeds treated at earlier stages. The treatment also led to a reliable increase in pH near the embryo surface. When the wheat seeds with germinability of 50% were treated at the stage of root formation, a significant increase in the number of seeds with roots was observed. The sprout length reliably increased after this treatment with respect to seeds treated later and untreated seeds. In the latter case, only the number of seeds with sprouts increased. Long treatment of seeds during the second day of imbibition reduced the length of sprouts. The observed effects are discussed on the basis of this proposed mechanism.

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