Electromagnetic treatments of cardoon seeds affect plant growth and linoleic acid content

Abstract

The cardoon plant (Cynara cardunculus L.) is suitable for cultivation in the reclaimed desert lands. A field experiment was carried out during two successive seasons to study the effect of magnetic fields (MF) on cardoon growth and its linoleic acid content. A 75 mT (millitesla) MF was used as follows: MF0 (control) not exposed to the magnetic field, three different MF exposure durations studied as MF1 (T1): 15 min, MF2 (T2): 30 min, or MF3 (T3): 45 min, considered for both non-wetted/dry (D) and wetted seeds (W). The MF had significant effects on most of studied parameters. Plant height (cm), length of the longest leaf (cm), number of offshoots, width and length of the fifth leaf (cm), and number of leaves were all influenced by MF exposure, with significant differences between dry and wet seeds. Of the various MF exposure durations, MF2D and MF3W exhibited the best growth attributes for dry and soaked seeds, respectively. Additionally, the linoleic acid (C18:2) content in produced seeds was significantly influenced by 15 and 30 min of exposure to the MF, in the case of dry seeds. These findings suggest that MF treatments of cardoon seeds have the potential to enhance the plant growth and the linoleic acid content.