Growth and yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) near a high voltage transmission line

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of an electromagnetic field from a high voltage transmission line on the yield of agricultural crops cultivated underneath and near the transmission line. For 5 years, experiments with winter wheat and corn were carried out near the 380 kV transmission line Dürnrohr (Austria)-Slavetice (Czech Republic). Different field strengths were tested by planting the crops at different distances from the transmission line. The plants were grown in experimental plots (1.77 m2), aligned to equal electric field strengths, and were cultivated according to standard agricultural practice. The soil for all plots was homogenized layer-specifically to a depth of 0.5 m to guarantee uniform soil conditions in the plant root environment. The soil was sampled annually for determinations of carbon content and the behavior of microbial biomass. During development of the vegetation, samples were collected at regular intervals for growth rate analyses. At physiological maturity, the plots (n = 8) were harvested for grain and straw yield determinations. The average electric and magnetic field strengths at four distances from the transmission line (nominal distances: 40, 14, 8, and 2 m) were between 0.2 and 4.0 kV/m and between 0.4 and 4.5 micro T, respectively. No effect of the field exposures on soil microbial biomass could be detected. The wheat grain yields were 7% higher (average of 5 years) in the plots with the lowest field exposure than in the plots nearer to the transmission line (P <.10). The responses of the plants were more pronounced in years with drought episodes during grain filling than in humid years. No significant yield differences were found for corn yields. The extent of the yield variations attributed to the distance from the transmission line was small compared to the observed annual variations in climatic or soil specific site characteristics.

Acceleration of germination and early growth of wheat and bean seedlings grown under various magnetic field and osmotic conditions

“…The positive effects of low-strength MFs on living systems have been shown both in vivo and in vitro [Stange et al, 2002;Atak et al, 2003;Yaycili and Alikamanoglu, 2005]. Various models have been proposed for this effect [Soja et al, 2003]; however, the mechanisms at work when plants and other living systems are exposed to a MF cannot be explained by a simple hypothesis because it is well known that MFs penetrate biological tissues, that biochemical reactions that have more than one unpaired electron are affected by MFs, and that organelles and cell membranes have different electro-magnetic properties resulting from different molecular aspects of their components [Reiter, 1993;Atak et al, 2007]. However, after calculating the MF dependence of the ionic current density across the cellular membrane, and examined the effects of 1-10 mT static MFs on the amount and rate of water absorption in the lettuce seed cell membrane in order to compare the calculated and experimental results.…”

Cell Phone Radiations Affect Early Growth of Vigna radiata (Mung Bean) through Biochemical Alterations

“…Tkalec et al (2005) observed that Lemna minor L. exposed to an electric fi eld of frequency 900 MHz for 2 h signifi cantly reduced the growth over control. Earlier, Soja et al (2003) reported a reduction in yield and straw production of wheat and corn under high tension transmission lines with an EMF in the range of 0.4 -4.5 mT. Pazur et al (2006) reported that barley plants exposed to static magnetic and 50-Hz electromagnetic fi elds matching the Ca 2+ cyclotron conditions (ICR) grew shorter (10 − 12%), with reduced plant weight and total pigment contents compared to a control without EMF.…”

“…However, Tambiev and Kirikova (2000) noticed better growth and photosynthesis in the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis after treatment with radiofrequency EMFs. Likewise, the growth of rice plants was enhanced with an electric fi eld of 28.5 kV m −2 compared to that without an electric fi eld (Rotcharoen et al, 2003), whereas a reduction in wheat and corn yield was observed in fi elds near hightension lines (Soja et al, 2003). Tafforeau et al (2002) showed that exposure to 900 MHz for 2 h resulted in induction of epidermal meristems and reduction in Ca 2+ , Na + , and K + contents; however, there was no change in the divalent to monovalent cation ratios.…”

Environmental and social impacts of electricity utilization: broadening the debate

“…Conversely, some effectively unpublished research has impacted negatively on a fuller understanding of this complex field. Thus the extensive, but largely unpublished, work of the UK Electro-Culture Committee is now almost unknown to the general scientific community (and is not cited for example by Soja et al 2003) but must be relevant to a comprehensive study of overhead powerline bioeffects.…”

“…Literature access difficulties however may have detracted from a current understanding of the importance of considering all components of the electricity utilization environment. Thus a recent study by Soja et al (2003) was concerned only with electromagnetic influences on crop plant (corn and wheat) yield near a 380-kV transmission line, disregarding possible air ionization responses. In fact, using a system specifically designed to produce high levels of ionization by corona discharge from low-radius-of-curvature overhead wires, Briggs et al (1926) obtained a 28% increase in grain yield of corn (Zea mays L.) exposed to corona activity by direct connection of the overhead discharge network to a local 6.6-kV, 25-Hz transmission line.…”