Increased density of high electric voltage lines causing hazardous effect on plants

Abstract

Environmental effect of power distribution lines includes loss of vegetation, loss of agricultural lands and altered human and animal activity. However, the hazardous effect of power lines on the individual growth, metabolism, yield and reproduction of plants has not been studied in detail. Current understanding confirms that the vicinity of power lines can alter plant life because of static electric field. These effects include altered growth, burning of plant parts, altered biochemical parameters such as (i) Mechanical damage (ii) Altered growth (iii) Reduced seed germination (iv) Altered respiration parameters (v) Altered biochemical parameters such as changes in elemental concentration, enzymatic activity, chlorophyll content and phenol content (vi) Altered membrane functions and (vii) Altered cell cycle. However, the effect of proximity of power lines on the most significant molecular parameters such as DNA replication, transcription and translation and DNA repair activity has not been studied.