Gamma radiation and magnetic field mediated delay in effect of accelerated ageing of soybean

Abstract

Soybean seeds were exposed to gamma radiation (0.5, 1, 3 and 5 kGy), static magnetic field (50, 100 and 200 mT) and a combination of gamma radiation and magnetic energy (0.5 kGy+200 mT and 5 kGy+50 mT) and stored at room temperature for six months. These seeds were later subjected to accelerated ageing treatment at 42°C temperature and 95-100 % relative humidity and were compared for various physical and biochemical characteristics between the untreated and the energized treatments. Energy treatment protected the quality of stored seeds in terms of its protein and oil content . Accelerated aging conditions, however, affected the oil and protein quantity and quality of seed negatively. Antioxidant enzymes exhibited a decline in their activity during aging while the LOX activity, which reflects the rate of lipid peroxidation, in general, increased during the aging. Gamma irradiated (3 and 5 kGy) and magnetic field treated seeds (100 and 200 mT) maintained a higher catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activity which may help in efficient scavenging of deleterious free radical produced during the aging. Aging caused peroxidative changes to lipids, which could be contributed to the loss of oil quality. Among the electromagnetic energy treatments, a dose of 1-5 kGy of gamma and 100 mT, 200 mT magnetic field effectively slowed the rate of biochemical degradation and loss of cellular integrity in seeds stored under conditions of accelerated aging and thus, protected the deterioration of seed quality. Energy combination treatments did not yield any additional protection advantage.

Stimulation of soy seeds using environmentally friendly magnetic and electric fields

“…Similar statistically insignificant effects in terms of increased protein content in leaves in two cultivars: MERLIN and ANUSZKA, induced by alternating the magnetic field, were obtained in our research. In turn, Kumar et al 74 , after stimulating soy seeds stored for 6 months with CMF, observed elevated protein concentration in the yield as compared to the control, which is consistent with our results obtained for the MAVKA, MERLIN, and ANUSZKA cultivars where the CMF was found to have the highest positive influence relative to the control. Magnetic fields with low induction values facilitate intensified binding or breakup of proteins in plant roots to a greater extent than in seedlings 28 .…”

“…Electrons with magnetic moments may be oriented in the outer field whose energy is absorbed due to interactions between the field and the magnetic moment of the unpaired electrons. Since chloroplasts have their own magnetic moments, it is possible that under the influence of large doses of absorbed energy, a distortion of photosynthetic pigment synthesis may occur 73 , 74 .…”

Pulsed magnetic field improves seed quality of aged green pea seeds by homeostasis of free radical content

“…The stimulatory response of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) seed treatment on plant growth and development has also been reported in soybean (Radhakrishnan and Ranjitha Kumari 2012). In our previous study, static magnetic field delayed ageing in soybean under accelerated ageing and maintained its quality (Kumar et al 2014). We also reported reclamation of six year old aged pea seeds stored under controlled conditions by using static magnetic field .…”