Does the magnetic field improve the quality of radish seeds

The use of high quality sowing material is the fundamental condition for good yielding of crop plants. One of new, unconventional methods of seed quality improvement is low-frequency variable magnetic field. It has been found that this physical factor has a favourable effect on seed germination, emergence and growth of many crop plants. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of low-frequency magnetic field (LFMF) on the germination of radish seeds, with particular emphasis on old seeds. The experimental material were seeds of 7 lots of radish cv. 'Mila', with germination capacity of 66.5-92.5%. The age of the seeds was from 1 to 8 years. Seeds from all the lots were treated with variable magnetic field with frequency of 50 Hz, at 3 doses of magnetic in- duction as follows: 0 (control), 30 and 60 mT for 30 seconds. Then, the seed germination energy and capacity were determined, as well as the length of the hypocotyl and of the radicle of the seedling, dry weight of seedling, and emergence and mean time of emer- gence. The low frequency magnetic field exposure (30 and 60 mT) improved radish seed germination energy and capacity of every old seed lot. The increase of germination energy of old seeds amounted to 12.3-19.2%, and the increase of germination capacity was 5.8-10%. Magnetic field stimulation caused the increase of germination energy for 3 out of 4 seed lots of high quality but did not affect the improvement of germination capacity of those lots. No significant effect of magnetic field of seeds on the hypocotyl and radicle elongation was observed with the exception of 1 out of the 7 seed lots. For the 2 old seed lots out of the 3 total, magnetic field treatment caused the increase of emergence by 4.4-13.0%.