Novel magnetic field system: Application to micropropagation of Phalaenopsis Gallant Beau ′George Vazquez′

Abstract

This is the first study with the purpose of creating a new system for moderate permanent magnetic fields (MF) which is simple, safe, easy to set up and saves space in a tissue culture room or greenhouse. We applied this system to investigate the effects of different MF intensities (0.1 Tesla (T), 0.15 T and 0.2 T) and different durations of exposure to 0.15 T MF, at both North (N) and South (S) poles on the micropropagation of Phalaenopsis Gallant Beau ‘George Vazquez’ at 2 development stages: protocorm‐like bodies (PLBs) proliferation and shoot development. The control exposed to naturally occurring geo‐MF and not to any induced MF. The MF of 0.1 T ‐ S resulted in the greatest fresh weight of regenerated PLBs and also the greatest influence on specific Phalaenopsis plantlet growth parameters: maximum leaf length, root length, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, and leaf width. The S pole of MF had stronger effects on Phalaenopsis PLBs proliferation than the N pole did in all treatments.Constant exposure to a MF of 0.15 T for 3 months, independent of polarity, significantly enhanced the development of plantlets when compared with the shorter duration of exposed plants (i.e. 1, 2 months). The longer duration of exposure to an MF of 0.15 T (7 weeks vs. 2 weeks), regardless of the polarity, resulted in greater biomass of newly formed PLBs and smaller average number of newly formed PLBs.The results obtained in this study indicate that MFs have the potential to be applied in practical plant culture room for fundamental physiological studies.