Magnetic stimulation of marigold seed
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| Authors: | I. Afzal1,2, K. Mukhtar3, M. Qasim3, S. Basra1, M. Shahid4, Z. Haq5 1Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan 2Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, University of Adelaide, Private Mail Bag 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia 3Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan 4Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan 5Department of Physics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan |
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| Abstract : | The effects of magnetic field treatments of French marigold seeds on germination, early seedling growth and biochemical changes of seedlings were studied under controlled conditions. For this purpose, seeds were exposed to five different magnetic seed treatments for 3 min each. Most of seed treatments resulted in improved germination speed and spread, root and shoot length, seed soluble sugars and a-amylase activity. Magnetic seed treatment with 100 mT maximally improved germination, seedling vigour and starch metabolism as compared to control and other seed treatments. In emergence experiment, higher emergence percentage (4-fold), emergence index (5-fold) and vigorous seedling growth were obtained in seeds treated with 100 mT. Overall, the enhancement of marigold seeds by magnetic seed treatment with 100 mT could be related to enhanced starch metabolism. The results suggest that magnetic field treatments of French marigold seeds have the potential to enhance germination, early growth and biochemical parameters of seedlings. |
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| Keywords : | marigold, seed, stimulation, magnetic field | ||||||||||
| Language : | English | ||||||||||