Comparison of Plant Trait Biometrics for Paired Invasive and Non-Invasive Species to Magnetized Seed and Watering Treatments

Abstract

A greenhouse study evaluated the widely held hypothesis that invasive plant species have a quicker or stronger response to environmental stimuli such as magnetized irrigation water treatments. A second study objective was to test whether the polarity of magnetized water affected the responses for invasive and non-invasive plant species. Six invasive and six non-invasive plant species were stimulated by magnetizing the seeds followed by applying several magnetized water treatments to the germinated seeds. The species were taxonomically paired then the seeds were exposed to three magnetic field treatments, planted, and irrigated with three magnetized water treatments for approximately two months. The electrical conductivity, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), pH of the water, and nine plant biometrics were measured, collected, and analyzed. The study hypothesis was validated when the invasive species showed enhanced responses to the magnetized seed and water treatments. The invasive species had increased growth in seven out of the nine growth biometrics when exposed to the magnetized seed and water treatments. The long exposure time for pretreatment of seeds (six days) and extended exposure time of the water treatments on the magnets (20 h) contributed to the higher growth rates. The average increase in foliar biomass and leaf area for two paired, invasive species was 184 and 182%, respectively, for the combined seed/watering treatments. In comparison the average increase in foliar biomass and leaf area for two paired, non-invasive species was 88 and 111%, respectively, for the combined seed/watering treatments. The physicochemical water properties for the three magnetized water treatments were correlated with plant growth. The combined magnetic seed/watering treatments produced growth rates that substantially exceeded crop growth rates in comparable magnetized irrigation studies.