Magnetopriming enhanced seed germination in six vegetable species: tomato, pepper, onion, cauliflower, cabbage and carrot

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the impact of magnetopriming on seed germination, root and shoot length in six vegetable species: tomatoes, peppers, onions, cauliflowers, cabbages, and carrots. The seeds of the first three species were exposed to magnetopriming for approximately 5 minutes at 15-17 mT, while the remaining species underwent a 15-minute room temperature treatment. Magnetopriming was found to be more effective in enhancing regular germination across all species. Although the improvements observed in tomatoes, cabbages, and carrots were not statistically significant (p<0.05), it increased regular germination percentages by 8-14% in all species. The most significant benefit from the treatment was observed in onions, with a 14% increase, while the lowest enhancement was recorded in cabbages and tomatoes as 8%. While the mean germination time increased significantly for onions, it remained unchanged for the other species. Additionally, magnetopriming significantly (p<0.05) influenced the shoot and root lengths of seedlings in all species. The most substantial improvement in shoot length was observed in tomatoes and onions, with an increase of 1.4-1.3 cm, while the maximum enhancement in root length was found in cabbages and tomatoes, increasing by 3.5-2 cm, respectively. The results indicate that magnetopriming not only improves germination but also significantly enhances the potential for root and shoot growth in these vegetable species.