Germination, physio-anatomical behavior, and productivity of wheat plants irrigated with magnetically treated seawater

Abstract

Salinity is an abiotic stress that reduces the seed germination and productivity of wheat. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of irrigation with magnetically treated seawater on the germination, growth, certain physiological and anatomical parameters, and production attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Sakha 93 plants. Experiments were conducted in the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Egypt, during two consecutive winter seasons. Pot experiments involved ten treatments with non-magnetized and magnetized water with various degrees of salinity. Plant samples were taken 95 days after sowing. Irrigation with magnetically treated seawater was found to have beneficial effects on plant growth, water relations, biochemical characteristics, and yield components compared with untreated plants. The germination of wheat seeds increased 13% when treated with magnetic seawater. On the yield scale, the spike length was increased by 40% in season one, and 82% in season two when compared to the control, while the weight of 100 grains increased by 148% and 171%, in each season, respectively, when treated with magnetic water. The anatomical leaf and stem parameters of the plants were markedly improved by watering with magnetically treated seawater at 10 dS m−1 compared to the control. However, the leaf water deficit, transpiration rate, and abscisic acid content in the plant shoots decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The use of magnetically treated seawater of up to 7.5 dS m−1, instead of tap water, is recommended due to benefits to germination and seedling parameters, growth, yield, and physiological, chemical, and anatomical characteristics. In conclusion, magnetic treatment of seawater improved germination performance, growth, and yield of wheat under saline conditions.

Effect of irrigation using saline and magnetized water on some botanical characteristics of cowpea plant (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

“…The highest salinity level was shown to produce the lowest total pod yield values. These results are consistent with Selim et al (2022) showed that all yield features of wheat plants such as spike weight (g plant -1 ), grains number/spike, grain weight (g plant -1 ), and weight of 100 grains (g), dropped significantly with increasing seawater levels during both seasons, the reduction in grain weight was 91% and 68%, respectively, at the elevated seawater of 12.5 dS m -1 in contrast to the control. As a direct result for decreasing rate of photosynthesis and other metabolic processes, which also affected the pace of carbohydrate metabolism.…”

“…With the exception of sodium, magnetic water increased the content of all elements, according to Hozayn et al (2019a). Selim et al (2022) showed that when examining all seawater levels, the magnetic treatment caused significant increases in concentration of all the minerals, except Na and Cl, in all areas of wheat plants. In comparison to the non-magnetic treatment, the N, P, and K concentrations in grains increased by roughly 50%, 24% and 25%, respectively, while the Na and Cl concentrations in the shoot decreased by approximately 20% and 25%, at a seawater level of 12.5 dS m -1 .…”

“…Ma et al, (2022) found that the saline-alkaline stress resulted in a considerable decrease in shoot total nitrogen and NO3 -nitrogen of nipponbare seedlings irrigated with non-magnetized water. Selim et al (2022) shows that as seawater levels rose, macro and micro minerals in wheat plants and grains declined with the exception of Na and Cl, which increased. With a 12.5 dS m -1 seawater level, the concentrations of the elements N, P, and K, in the wheat plant shoots declined by approximately 19%, 27%, and 13%, respectively, compared to the control.…”

“…The present study revealed that irrigation with magnetized water raised seed yield of cowpea by 38% as compared to ordinary water. Also, Selim et al (2022) reported that The irrigation with magnetic water; increased yield attributes such as spike weight (g plant−1), grains number/spike, grain weight (g plant−1), and weight of 100 grains (g), by roughly 30%, 58%, 688%, and 37%, respectively, at a seawater stress level of 10 dS m -1 compared to controls. Surendran (2016) showed that magnetic treatment of irrigation water types led to an improvement in the yield parameters of cowpea.…”