Impacts of Microwave Treatment on Crop Seed Germination and Growth - Term Paper Example

Impacts of Microwave Treatment on Crop Seed Germination and Growth Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: City: Date: Abstract Scientists have been concerned over time in controlling weed plants with a help of microwave energy or radio frequency due to the rising concerns of the herbicides continuous resistant development and chemical residues in the atmosphere. Researchers have been working over the pat thirty years in assessing the practicability of microwave radiation to control all types of pests’ trough soil treatment. This research paper aims at giving the report on the projection of application of microwaves energy to control weeds. The past research indicates that microwave energy efficiently kills the weed plans as well as their seeds thus making it an effective way of controlling weeds. However, the past research one by experts and which have put focus on putting microwave energy in extensive area indicates that it demands a lot of energy as compared with the chemical use in weed management. The standard microwave heating that effectively result in proper weed control indicates that the thermal runaway can cat down the period of microwave weed treatment by one order of scale. This is a clear indication that inducing thermal runaway to weed control system would be cheap or even being compared to that of chemical weed control. After this experiment, it is concluded that little is known about the practical use of microwave energy to control major pests in the field without some great new discoveries other than heating. Table of Contents Introduction 4 Characteristics of microwave energy 5 Ionizing and none-ionizing materials 6 Thermal influence on maize germination from microwaved soil 7 The use of microwave heating in agriculture 8 Effect of air ions in plant growth 8 Methods 9 Results 10 Soil’s reaction to Microwave Treatment 10 Discussion 11 Determining the Electrical Field Strength 15 Dielectric Properties of Plant Materials 17 Thermal runaway 20 Scientific distresses about application of microwave treatment method 22 Important considerations 23 Data analysis 24 Conclusion 25 Introduction Within the electromagnetic spectrum, there is the microwave part whose radiation frequency ranges from 300 MHz (300 million cycles in a second) to 300 GHz which is equivalent to 300 billion in a second. The electromagnetic waves in this band have a non-ionizing effect. Banik et al (2006) argue that the ionizing electromagnetic effect is usually absorbed by the microwave itself due to the constant vibration that requires a lot of energy The past studies indicate that the abrupt outcome of microwave is directly connected to changes in the polar molecules and can cause a significant change in both plants and animals. The electromagnetic energy released by microwaves may cause significant changes when it comes in contact with charged particles due its magnetic fields and this result in agitation known as heat (Aladjadjiyan, 2010). The dielectric characteristic of the material determines the amount of energy absorbed by the biological material placed in such a radiation. It was suggested by Nelson (1987) that uses of microwave heating in agriculture include seed treatment, drying, insect control, measurement of moisture content and product processing. He also suggested that mass production of magnetrons to serve as sources of energy for industrial and domestic microwave ovens has made the costs of energy sources to go down so that attention might be focused towards new applications of microwaves. In agriculture in general, and specifically in seed technology, seed moisture testing could be conducted by use of microwave heating. As examples, Okabe, et al (1973) used microwaves to improve germination of some tiny legume seeds, alfalfa, whose seed coats are naturally impermeable (Murr, 2004). He also used microwave in drying maize and ended up with promising results. Other successes were reported in controlling wood infesting insects thanks to microwaves. The extensive use of cables as a result of emerging telecommunication has amplified the acquaintance of the microwave frequency fields because it is save to the user. The duration of the exposure of these fields as well as the properties of the exposed tissue, the power level and the frequency determines the level of the harm. The exceptional impact of wireless mobile communication technology has presented a strong reason for present research in achieving comprehensive knowledge of the relationships between effects of microwave treatment on maize seed germination and growth and the physical variables. Maize is one of the most consumed cereals all over the world. It is stable food in most parts of Africa and Latin America. Maize is planted for both commercial and domestic use in that it used in developed countries to produce oil. Maize is also used to feed animals. Characteristics of microwave energy Electromagnetic waves differ depending on frequency. It is the very frequency that defines the characteristics of an electromagnetic wave. According to basic wave theory, the wavelength (λ) and frequency (f) are related by the equation: λ = c/f, where represents lights speed in vacuity. Total waves within the electromagnetic spectrum comprise of electrical and magnetic field components that are mutually perpendicular and vibrate in phase (Macelloni et al, 1998). The two major components of a magnetic field are the attractive flux (Φ) and the magnemotive force (F). The Ampere’s law conditions that the total magnemotive force (F) integrated along any loop is equal to the total current enclosed that loop. There is a corresponding magnetic force whenever current is flowing. Magnetic flux lines always form closed loops that never overlap at any point. In any homogenous area, the magnetic flux lines are vertical to the equipotential exteriors of the magnetic force. The attractive flux density (B) is determined by the spacing amid the flux lines. Ionizing and none-ionizing materials Electromagnetic waves with more energy per quanta have the ability to break the chemical bond of material they come in contact with. Radiations from electromagnetic waves with very high frequencies within the electromagnetic spectrum are classified as ionizing. Examples of this are X-rays and Gamma rays. Low frequency electromagnetic fields such as microwaves, radio waves, etc. produce non-ionization radiations (Macelloni et al, 1998:43). The interaction between plant microwaves and plant/living cells is a wide subject due to multiplicity of living cells and the physical occurrences that come into play. Each living cell has its own unique reaction when exposed to microwaves. These reactions depend on the duration of exposure, frequency of wave and intensity of exposure. Depending upon intensity and frequency, microwaves exposure may lead to breakdown or alteration of genetic or chemical link and may favor or inhibit cell growth. Thermal influence on maize germination from microwaved soil The idea that powerful microwave can produce thermal effects makes it technically hard to distinguish its probable explicit effect in experiments. Kazukiko et al (1999) argued that the thermal impact of short microwave pulses when hygienic limits are taken into account, cannot structurally or chemically affect the biological tissue and cells, even if the most detrimental assumption of 100% absorption is made. There is no physical cause of any other effect apart from the thermal effect. The real biochemical processes by which microwaves could affect the germination and growth of maize seeds are not very clear and the mechanism may vary depending on duty cycle, frequency and amplitude of the field. Researchers report that among various ways of pre-sowing treatment of seeds, special attention needs to be directed towards electromagnetic irradiation. Various studies indicate that high power microwave can affect maize growth and the extended soil exposure to microwave affects germination of maize seeds. According to Aladjadjiyan, (2010) the microwaved soil determined variations in peroxides and catalase activities in maize plant and the age being the determinant, the microwave exposure time and condition of seeds. It was indicated that plant growth was not affected by weak intensity but increased doses slowed down the germination process. The use of microwave heating in agriculture Seeds are sensitive to heat and hence they cannot germinate if exposed to excess heat. The heating mechanisms of the microwaves are higher compared to the ovens and hence, exposure of seeds to these waves results in the seeds longevity. The purpose of treating soil before planting seeds is for pest and weed control. Heating of soils also helps in insects control and measure of moisture content. Microwave technology is also used for moisture testing in cereals as well as for drying. Effect of air ions in plant growth Chlorophyll and cytochrome content in leaves is also boosted by the presence and increase in air ion density. According to Kotaka and Krueger, (2004) plant chlorosis sped up by air ions in iron-depleted environments and excites ATP metabolism in spinach chloroplasts. Seed irradiation with high power microwaves had considerable effect on chlorophyll density and arytenoids in tomato seedlings. To validate the positive impact of microwave treatment in plants, intensive research to focus on the effect of electromagnetic energy on the biological structure of cell organs, disruption in genetic makeup, crop eminence and enzyme activities of many samples should be conducted. Methods In my experiments the effect of microwaved soil on germination of maize seeds (Zea Mays) has been investigated. The microwave source of energy with frequency of radiation of 2, 55 GHz with the maximum production power of 700 watts as the supplier’s data has been used. An estimation of 45 kW/m³ all-out bulk of irradiation has been used. The output power of the device has been divided to obtain the estimation to get the working volume of the average dimensions. The soil bought from the laboratory and prepared for the experiment undergoes microwave treatment for different time durations and wattages. The pH of the soil used in this experiment ranged from 6.6 to 7.1. The power of the microwave in ems of wattages varied between 450 and 700 watts while the time was varied from thirty to one hundred and fifty seconds. The seeds and water are not exposed to the microwave; the only materials microwaved are the soil in the experiment. The number of pots that were used in carrying out this experiment was twenty with 5 pots for each treatment. The diameter of the pot is 140mm with a volume of 1.65 liters. Before the soil were microwaved, thermometer and pH meter were used to measure the temperature and the pH respectively of the untreated soil. All the pots were marked to avoid confusion of the untreated soil from the treated soils. The marked samples were placed in the microwave ovens, and then the temperature and pH measured and recorded together with the dates. All the pots were move to the laboratory where 3 seeds were planted in each pot. After the seeds were planted in the pots, each pot was watered with 500 ml of distilled water. When the seeds germinated in the pots, the length of each sprouting plants were measured and recorded. The samples were placed in bags and their mass measured and the weather was also recorded. The heights of the maize were measured from the root bottom to the leaf top. The experiment ended when all the measurements were made and recorded in the spread sheet to generate graphs and explain the outcomes using the ANOVA. Fig.1. Block diagram of the experiment Results Soil’s reaction to Microwave Treatment The contact between soil and the microwave dynamism depends on soil moisture content and the texture. The three effects that the soil moisture has on microwave include: Moist soil engrosses microwave energy to generate heat. The moisture presence in soil affects the heating effect despite little microwave energy reaching the soil. Moisture also raises the reflectivity of the soil apparent thus reducing the amount of microwave vitality that reaches the soil. It is a common knowledge that moistness is a heat-diffusing proxy hence affects the amount of hot water and vapor that is forced to enter the soil elements. The experiment has established that treating soil using microwave heating does not result in a much effect on the pH level. However, increasing the microwave treatment reduces some other elements in the soil like the bacteria. This can upset the growth of plants developed in the soil after undergoing the microwave treatment. The heating effect of cannot be increased increasing the microwave power in that it has an optimal limit. Discussion The entire quantity for the tasters treated with 700 watts at thirty seconds is 17 % greater, and for those at sixty seconds total mass is 35,5% greater than control experiment. It can be concluded that for 700 watts the revelation time sixty seconds is more operative in the last phases of the growth than the exposure at the time of the 30th second. The disagreement with the statistics about root length for the same alignment of the data can be noticed in the graphs. The outcomes on fig.2 indicates that at disclosure thirty seconds s root length is 4 % elongated, but at exposed sixty seconds it is 40 % tinier than the regulator experiment. This disagreement might be contributed to the fact that the root length only of the main root is restrained, but some masses are not accounted yet they are in the lateral roots. The accounted rise of total mass can also be explained in that there is rise of 6% for the tasters treated with 700 watts at exposure thirty seconds. The germination energy of maize seeds were affected by microwave treatment on the soils as well as the germination as presented on the fig.1, and fig. 2, correspondingly. The entire mass of sprouts measured at the 15th day is accessible on fig.3. Fig.2. The treated maize seeds germination and germination energy under different exposure time of the soil in a microwave (0 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, and 90seconds) and output (450 & 700). The results from fig.1show that the germination energy and the germination have the highest results at 30 seconds in the power output of 450 watts. The acquaintance time above clearly shows prompt upshot. The experiment also shows that the other data varied from those of the control experiment with a larger scale. The exposed samples of germination energy as shown from the changes in length of maize plants placed in different microwaved soils in different pots has increased with 10,1 %, whereas germination- with 5,4 %. The microwave usage with the output power 700 watts indicates that just like that shown in the exposure of 450 W, the time of exposure is what stimulates the changes in both germination and germination energy of the seeds. Fig.3. the length of the stem (SL) and the length of the root (RL) of maize seedlings measured at the 15th day. Fig.4. length of stem (SL) and length of roots (RL) for maize measured on 15th day. The germination energy GE at acquaintance thirty seconds and germination G at exposure sixty seconds from the control experiment is insignificant. A reserve of germination energy GE can be due to longer period of exposure sixty and ninety seconds. The positive effect of treatment is mostly sturdier in the lower production energy as can be seen in the assessment data for 500 watts and 700 watts of the microwave irradiation. The shorter exposure time of thirty seconds indicates advanced spur effect than lengthier ones. The acquaintance time of 90 s leads to higher inhibition. From the experiment, the length of the main root has been measured but the ones for the lateral rots have not been measured. To some extent, this can give explanation of the shown the difference in the rise of total mass for the tasters in the experiment, in which the rise of stem length and root length was not taken into consideration. The appearance on fig.3 indicates that stem length has a higher value for the maize seeds preserved with microwaves with power 500 watts than those for the higher power of 700 watts. The exposure time of 30 sand 60 s shows the positive effect that can be accounted for the time needed for the actual changes. The graphs indicates that the lower power is more effective in seeds treatment provided the exposure time is equally minimized in that 500 W within thirty seconds has a longer stem length of 13,5% longer that the control experiment. With the higher power of 800 W, the stem length is shorter than those of the control experiment. The mass on figure 4 above which is the measurement of the plant against the exposure time shows that there is increase in length with the exposure time. The most effective is the shorter exposure time with the minimum power in that the graph shows increase in inhibition with increase in power and exposure time. Determining the Electrical Field Strength The simulation of microwave field power was reached with the use of Maxwell’s electromagnetic equivalences using three different applications imposed on to the scheme by the microwave ploy and the maize seeds treated. There are no exact solutions for this experiment due to its complexity but there are numerous methods that can be applied to explain the Maxwell’s equations that include the processer simulation and met lab analysis which has been applied for this experiment. This method of finite difference time domain (FDTD) was used because it is a simple way of transforming the Maxwell’s equation into the difference equations. The electric field grid (Figure.5) was used in this experiment to generate results used to analyze the magnetic field circulation in the microwave scheme. The leap-frog fashion then followed to measure the electric and hypnotic fields accelerative in phase. Fig.5. the application of Maxwell’s equation hand in hand with the FDTD method The results of the MatLab show that the distribution of magnetic field is related with dissimilar horn antennas that can be essential in wild plant control. The magnetron source has modeled space that was attached in a short wave guide nourishing the horn projection. A 200 mm thickness of soil charted by a 60 mm air gap and a 50 mm width of maize stem was encrusted in the anterior of the horn antenna. The all process is very slow in that the algorithm requires an hour or more. Dielectric Properties of Plant Materials The frequencies of the microwave show the dielectric chattels of maize plant. The maize plant with high moisture content as indicated in the fig.6 have a advanced dielectric coefficients and hence, will intermingle further with the microwave fields resulting with a greater microwave damage. This is a clear indication that plants with big structures and are well developed have more cellulosic compared to the ones that are less developed which have less water contents. The difference in wetness content may give clarifications on the vulnerabilities of fleabane and other weeds like marshmallow. Fig 6.gravimetric moisture content and their difference in dielectric properties The past research indicates that most of the plants depend with the temperatures as well as the moisture content in dielectric properties (Bubel, 1988). In this experiment, new dielectric properties were developed by heating microwave for one second and results recorded. The maize stem under investigation in the experiment showed variance when there was alteration in temperature and moisture. Based on the previous experiments, the moisture loss was assumed to be connected with the microwave heating time. It is observed that the rapid rise in temperature for 20 mm diameter stem fig. 7 is as due to thermal runway. Fig.7. The constant microwave power and change in temperature in the center of the stem and using a constant moisture loss. According to Bubel (1988), this phenomenon in the thermal runway is caused by some factors such as dielectric loss influence of water, which is affected by change in temperature and the reverberation of the electromagnetic waves within the standard of the radioactivity in the electromagnetic wavelength that is alternated during heating. The occurrence of the resonance is only when the wavelength and the plant dimension are similar. This is the reason as to why the thermal runway is only evident in 15 mm diameter of the maize stem as shown in figure 7, whereas the slighter maize stems are small to give a chance the field quality. Thermal runaway A swift shift in heat within a very petite time during microwave heating shows itself in the runaway. This is connected to the dependence of moisture and temperature of the dielectric chattels of the animated plant material. At times, this leads to absorption of more microwave energy during heating which in turn influence the heating as well as the absorption rate. The common result is the sharp and uncontrolled shift in temperature depending with the heating time and the power of the electromagnetic energy. The other determinant of transfer of the microwave dynamism into material is the quantity of the materials surface, whereby some materials have hard cover affecting dielectric properties. The moisture loss makes the dielectric properties to decrease as shown in fig.6 and the temperature during heating is also dependent thus a lot of power enters the material leading to faster heating because of the increased transmission rate. As per the past research done by Fischer et al, (2004) conducted an experiment on direct effect of electromagnetic radiation of the microwave on the sprouting and development of cereals (maize, wheat, oats and barley). He used 1 cm wavelength and exposed them for forty minutes. There was an increased germination rate in all the tested seeds and the optimal effect was realized after twenty minutes exposure time. Resonance of the electromagnetic waves within the object can also cause thermal runaway. As the moisture loss and temperature increase decreases the dielectric properties as shown in fig.6, the wavelength inside the material also increases. The temperature will rise when the wavelength fit within the magnitudes of the animated item resulting in reverberation. The microwave field intensity depends with the drying and heating rates and hence, the current runaway is sturdily dependent on the microwave electric filed strength as shown in fig. 8. The application of current runaway is sometimes problematic throughout microwave heating in that it may lead to unwanted destructions of the materials. Figure.8. the influence of microwave heating in runaway of a plant with a diameter of 16 mm as per the clculations. Scientific distresses about application of microwave treatment method The treatment of seeds using microwaves requires a limited extent of time to completely heat the soils to the required temperatures to destroy the existing weeds. The portable rapidity of the microwave throughout treatment is determined by the finite time set. Well fixated microwave energy needs an exact petite treatment period to destroy the tidy plants in the soil. This is a clear indication that the field prototype should be focused and narrowed and be moved at a reasonable speed. The time required to treat the soil can be minimized by using two microwave sources pointing the same strip to enhance the heating effect. Using two microwaves to treat the soil is advantageous but the user must ensure that there is no diffraction interference by dividing the microwave fields at right angles to each other. Microwave is the most harmful method as compared with the other existing methods. Further researches are being carried to give a clear explanation of the effects of microwave treatment on soil that influence plant development. It was found in this experiment that the treatment of soil with the microwave oven 2,50 GHz, 700 watts cm² for 7s induces alterations in sprouts of maize that were planted in different pots . Researchers have also found positive influence for shorter exposure time of 1,3, 5 s. My observation is similar in that the longer exposure time during soil treatment in the pots inhibits the development of maize seedlings. As from the experiment results, the suggestions could be developed to cautiously use the treatment with microwave and shorter acquaintance times be selected. The results from the experiment showed that microwaves literally kill some important nutrients in the soil that are necessary for plant development hence denaturing them completely. When exposed to excessive microwaves, soils loose moisture and bacteria especially with those exposed for longer time as indicated by sprouting nature of the maize seeds in the different pots from my experiment. This means that they therefore are only useful in controlling pests but cn be dangerous to the plant growth. But even then, there are always effects passed on to the end consumers. Microwaves may also indirectly affect the germination and growth of seeds through water and soil which are equally integral components of germination and growth. This experiment has also shown that crops which induced water that has been exposed to soils treated with microwaves generally grew taller and faster. The differences in graphs also showed that soil that has been exposed to microwaves lost nutrients, hence making plants grown there to have stunted growth. From this experiment, it is also noticed that the effects of low level microwave radiation on germination of maize as well as its growth rate is inhibited at a low power level treatment on the soil. The main reason for this from the previous research is that the loss of turgor results from water loss, as the full turgor pressure is necessary for seed germination in good soils. Important considerations The low levels of microwave treatment should be taken carefully in that individuals within the surrounding can resist. The remaining individuals within the population can easily spread and are very dangerous in that they can undergo mutation which may result in resistance. The mechanisms of using microwave energy to kill weeds is expensive than the chemical treatment but the mechanism used is more powerful. It can completely deal with herbicide resistant individuals within the weed population. It is also capable of dealing with the seed banks instead of waiting for the seeds to germinate. In areas where there is high infestation of weeds, this method can effectively deal with such weeds because it can be used to attack the weeds at the early stages which can be more manageable. Data analysis Results from the experiment indicate that the masses of both shoots and roots from the experiment are higher than those from the treated plant materials. The use of dry matter gives more accurate results than the moist materials as noticed from the data in fig.6 above. The weight change from the dry and moist plant material indicates that treated soil influence the germination of the plants. Fig.9. microwaved soil germination of maize seeds in different pots under different time and wattages as from the ANOVA results in the experiment. As the treatment time increases, the microorganisms in the soil reduces and is also affected by the water content as shown in fig.6 above. The amount of soil also affects the population of the microorganisms in that the larger the amount the bigger the number of the organisms. The microwave treatment of soil reduces soil bacteria population by up to 80% as seen in the treated and treated soil from the experiment. This affects the growth of plants as there is shorter and longer plant materials influenced by treatment time of the soil. The soil should be sterilized to avoid re-emergence of the bacteria after the treatment. Conclusion There is a potential improvement in use of microwave energy as a weed control system tough it still needs some more research. This experiment indicates that it is effective in destroying weeds and their seeds hence is can be the most effective weed control in future in that it destroy the seeds of the weeds. However, the expertise has not been completely expounded. The main purpose for slow commercialization of the use of microwave energy as weed management system is the energy requirement on most farming systems worldwide. As a matter of fact, chemical weed control system is the most used system in weed control because it is cheap compared to other systems. There is a growing need for development of other weed control techniques due to the growing resistance of weed biotypes and the potentiality of chemical weeds becoming ineffective in future is very high. Due to these reasons, there is much need to explore the microwave weed control system so that it can be integrated should the chemical system fail permanently in future. The past microwave experience have put focus on handling seed banks by microwaving the soil. Most of the experiments have been conducted with the use of microwave systems that spreads their energy over a wider area instead of focusing the vigor into a smaller space in the weed plants. As a matter of fact, this minimizes the efficiency of the microwave treatment precludes the onset of thermal runaway and also extends the acquaintance time of needed to destroy the plant tissue in the microwaved soils. The treatment time could be reduced by the runaway thermal if it is induced in the stems of the plant as shown in the fig.7 above for a specified microwave power level hence, decreasing the amount of energy required to treat soil by an order of scale. This will minimize the energy wasted thus making it comparable to the chemical weed control system. Microwave power can be used to treat weeds and their kernels. The energy required is what hinders extensive use of microwave in weed management though this can be addressed by novel microwave applicators. Soil pasteurization works well with the moist soil than the dry soils. On the other hand, dry seeds are not susceptible to the microwave induced damage than the moisture seeds. Application of the physical treatment models like dissimilar type of electromagnetic fields or even ultrasound improve sprouting and also influence the early growth of plant kernels. The correct application of physical methods of stimulation requires preface experimental research and application of convenient regimes, which as indicated by the experiment indicates that it depends with the plant characteristics and the exposure time. Chemical methods of weed control can be replaced with the physical ones to reduce pollution of environment in that chemical methods involve a lot of toxic substances. However, it is important to mention here and now that despite the fact that technology has come into our lives to make work easier and to improve efficiency, there is a lot more to the negative side than is known to the human beings. In the case of microwave, it is saddening that very few people, if not none, are conversant with the possible impacts of this apparently harmful form of radiation. As observed from the experiments, the microwaves are useful to agriculture and are also harmful to human being and animals. Technology should be adopted but must be keenly observed to avoid damages that they may cause to both humans and animals. References Aladjadjiyan A. (2010): Study of the Influence of Magnetic Field on some Biological Characteristics of Zea Mais: Journal of Central European agriculture Banik, S Ganguly, S. and Dan, D. (2006): Effect of microwave irradiated Methanosarcina barkeri DSM-804 on Biomethanation: Bioresources Technology, p 819–823. Bilalis D., Katsenios N., Efthimiadou A., Efthimiadis P. & Karkanis A. (2011) Pulsed electromagnetic fields effect in oregano rooting and vegetative propagation: A potential new organic method. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Plant Soil Science available from http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713394126 Bown,R. (1997): Low energy irradiation of seed lots, Agricult. Eng. September, p666– 669. Bubel, N. (1988). The new seed-starters handbook. Emmaus, Pa, Rodale Press. Carbonell, M.V., Martínez, E., Flórez, M., Maqueda, R., López – Pintor A. & Amaya, J.M. (2008). Magnetic field treatments improve germination and seedling growth in Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Lolium perenne L. Seed Science and Technology, vol.36 No.1, pp.31-37. Chalmers, A. (2007): Atmospheric Electricity: Pergamon Press Ltd., Oxford. Environment Information Center, EIC Intelligence Inc, Bowker A & I Publishing, Congressional Information Service, & Lexisnexis Academic & Library Solutions. (1980). Environment abstracts annual. New York, EIC Intelligence Inc. Fischer, G. Tausz M. Kock, M.and Grill, D. (2004): Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields on growth Parameters of Young Cereals: Bioelectromagnetics, Vol25: p638-641. Hozayn M., Abdul Qados A.M.S. &Amany Abdel-Monem A. (2010). Utilization of Magnetic Water Technologies in Agriculture: Response of Growth, Some Chemical Constituents and Yield and Yield Components of Some Crops for Irrigation with Magnetized Water. Int.Journ. Water Resources and Arid Environment,1-7 Jones R. (2001) Effect of Light on Germination of Forest Tree Seed: Proceedings of the International Seed Testing Association Kotaka, S. and Krueger, P. (2004): Studies on the air-ion-induced growth increase in higher plants: Advancing Frontiers P1. Sci. 20: p115-208. Lemstrom, S. (2004): Electricity in agriculture and horticulture. The Electrician Printing and Publishing Co., London. Macelloni, G. Paloscia S. Pampaloni, P. and Ruisi, R. (1998): Microwave Emission Features of Crops with Vertical Stems: IEEE transactions on geoscience and remote sensing, Vol. 36, no. 1, Murr, E. (2004): Optical Microscopy Investigation of Plant Cell Destruction in an Electrostatic field. Proc. Pennsylvania Acad. Sci. 37: p109-121. Nelson O. (1987): Potential Agricultural Applications for RF and microwave Energy: Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, p819-822. Newman, J. (1971): Electricity as Aplied to Agriculture: The Electrician, p 915 Okabe, T. Huang M and Okamura S (1973): A new Method for the measurement of Grain Moisture Content by use of Microwaves: Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, p59-66. Priestley, J. (2010): Overhead electrical discharges and plant growth: J. Board. Agric. 17: p16-28. Racucuci, M. Creanga, D. and Amoraritei C (2007) Biochemical Changes Induced by Low Frequency Magnetic Exposure of Vegetal Organisms: Journ. Phys, p645-651 Schottenfield, B. (2009): Electric fields in plants: Annual Rev. P1. Physiol. 18: p409-418. United States, Nasa Scientific and Technical Information Facility, & Nasa Center for Aerospace Information. (1963). Scientific and technical aerospace reports. Washington, D.C., NASA, Office of Scientific and Technical Information. United States. (1975). Government reports announcements & index. [Springfield, Va.], U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service. Read More