On electromagnetic impacts on the water absorption of vegetable seeds in the sown soil layer

Abstract

One of the most important tasks for the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation is to develop methods for increasing crop seed viability. The way seeds absorb water determines the most important physicochemical processes that ensure their germination and further development of seedlings. There has been studied the impact of the magnetic field, direct and alternating current on the water absorption of cucumber and tomato seeds in the soil layer at a depth of 0.02 m. The surface current density was 0.0022 mA/cm 2, while the magnetic field induction was 3.1 mT. Within 5 hours with an interval of one hour, the seeds were removed and weighed. Direct current (negative/positive) has the greatest impact on the rate of water absorption of cucumber seeds, provided that the positive electrode is in the soil, while the negative one is on the soil surface (20.2% increase). The impact ranks second (12.7% increase), alternating current ranks third (10.1% increase). When using alternating current, the water absorption of tomato seeds increases by 80% higher, while using magnetic impact it increases by 50% than with no impact at all. There have been noted negative rates of water absorption. The results of the work can be used to develop the methods for controlling the rates of water absorption of vegetable seeds with the help of external electrophysical effects.