Apparently magnetic fields can potentially increase seed germination and vigor?

[CeeJey]

So I was looking for a completely unrelated research paper and stumbled down a bizarre rabbit hole that I was unaware of and wanted to share. Apparently there are multiple unrelated studies showing an increase in seed germination and in some cases seedling vigor by exposing them to magnetic fields of varying strength as a pre-treatment:

Magnetic field exposure used to increase germination and vigor/ root development of mung beans (with pictures): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261014086_Magnetic-time_model_at_off-season_germination

Magnetic field treatment increasing wheat seed germination rates: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215153220301252

MF Treatment improving cabbage germination rates and vigor: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282961806_Magnetic_Field_Can_Improve_Germination_Potential_and_Early_Seedling_Vigor_of_Cabbage_Seeds

A larger overview of MF treatment on plants in general: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7570196/

I haven't had a chance to dig into this to look for further details/ bad science yet, but it's interesting that there's a body of research from multiple researchers showing some effect. Needs more study/ replication.

Also REALLY interesting was this paper showing that tomato seed orientation towards a magnetic field, and the strength of that magnetic field, was more consequential to seed germination rates than humidity: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23759543/.

What this all suggests to me, as a layman, is that this is an unexplored and possibly large factor in some seed-sprouting quirks.

Anyway. I'd take all this with a grain of salt; I'm sharing this since it's interesting and related the hobby but probably beyond most peoples' inclination and ability to mess around with. Don't go do something dumb with electro-magnets trying to get illama or something to sprout, please.

[pagnr]

This research seems to be based around electrically generating a magnetic field with equipment.
There is also some research into the benefits of Paramagnetism to plant growth from rocks or rock dust from volcanic rocks.
Some types of Basalt have higher paramagnetism than others, apart from the re mineralisation aspect from Basalt dust.
The fine rock dust can be incorporated into pot mixes, or spread on garden beds.
This imitates the benefits of high mineral volcanic soils to Agriculture.
When I lived in the Hippy Capital of Australia, it was well known that Basalt dust was a benefit to garden soils.
The local council had to put tar into the blue basalt gravel for roadworks to stop it being pinched for gardens,
and probably being used on "Pot Holes" that were not actually in the road surface, but hidden in the forest.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=paramagnetism+seed+gremination&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[CeeJey]

This research seems to be based around electrically generating a magnetic field with equipment.

Yeah, in all cases showing benefit in the linked studies, afaik the researchers were using it as a pre-treatment similar conceptually to various kinds of soaking pre-treatment (i.e. like a low% hydrogen peroxide bath and not, like, setting it up on a hydrogen peroxide continual drip). It was all low-frequency static fields at relatively low strengths. EDIT: Also it didn't always show greater plant mass depending on the treatment. No bueno if it's similar to that "using too much GA3" thing where it might increase the germination rate but you end up with etiolated rather than stronger plants, although the root growth differences in the beans study is impressive.

When I lived in the Hippy Capital of Australia, it was well known that Basalt dust was a benefit to garden soils.
The local council had to put tar into the blue basalt gravel for roadworks to stop it being pinched for gardens,
and probably being used on "Pot Holes" that were not actually in the road surface, but hidden in the forest.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=paramagnetism+seed+gremination&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I'll check that out later.

I do use quite a bit of (mostly local) basalt in soil mixes now and I believe that I've been getting better results from it but chalk that up to the minerals. Our soil here can be total butts when it comes to freely available nutrients.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Interesting concept.  Had a good friend who was a serious "rare" fruit grower who told me that a transplanted plant needed to be oriented in the same direction relative to magnetic north in its new home.  He adhered to that idea with all his plants.  I try to do that, but oriented with the daily travel of the sun. I guess it ends up the same way. 

[CeeJey]

Interesting concept.  Had a good friend who was a serious "rare" fruit grower who told me that a transplanted plant needed to be oriented in the same direction relative to magnetic north in its new home.  He adhered to that idea with all his plants.  I try to do that, but oriented with the daily travel of the sun. I guess it ends up the same way.

Wild. Stuff like that always sounded a little on the woo side to me,but so do a lot of things around planting that turn out to have some evidentiary basis.

I have absolutely hit this issue with opuntia cactus, though. They'll sunburn if their orientation is changed, but I've also seen them grow weirdly to try and re-twist themselves to their original facing. I figured that was probably mostly the sun but considering today's reading on plants using magnetic fields to sense surroundings, I'm unsure.

[JCorte]

This is a good book if you’re interested in reading more about paramagnetism and how it affects plant growth.



There’s also new science showing plants emit light through their root tips.  Pretty fascinating to think about why plants would send light into the soil. 

Janet

[pagnr]

The Paramagnetism of different volcanic deposits can vary a lot from what I remember, some quarry sites were higher than others.
There was some work on getting better germination rates from older tired seeds.
RE mineralisation was also interesting, theory being that the Earths soils and hence plants had much higher mineral levels in times past.
Interesting fact that those huge herbivorous Dinosaurs only had small Horse size heads and mouths for a such giant animal.

[cassowary]

Induced electromagnetic fields can also be used to create mutation, one man I spoke to thought this might be useful for ornamentals since you could mutate the seed quite a bit and something strange comes out. Idk if that would be morally justifiable though.

https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/the-primeval-code/

It would not be very expensive to setup that SEF that is pictured in the first article, there is actually two metal plates, one on the bottom which is connected to the black cable (-) and one on the top that is connected to the red cable (+). In between them there is dielectric material (transmitting EF without conducting, could be air). To increase 12vdc to more then 1000vdc a buck boost and or transformer with diodes could be used, not to expensive since it will be a setup with low power output.

You can also just try to germinate seeds above a strong Neodymium magnet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pimvByiiYZo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1y8X4XoP4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssTQegUBEy4


Wasn't the CO2 in the atmosphere 5 times higher during the Jurassic era? Mega flora, mega fauna anyone??
Greenland anyone?? Was it once green? hmm..
https://www.livescience.com/44330-jurassic-dinosaur-carbon-dioxide.html

It seams to me, counterintuitive as a biophilic human to try and reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. That is not to say deforestation and other activities are beneficial to biology.

Maybe the oceans weren't salty yet?? Due to less degradation of the soil due to mineralized rain water leeching. Maybe the plants had more ions in leafs/fruit  back then.

I have heard that some of these volcanic rocks can have high levels of radioactive materials, uranium, strontium etc. maybe that affects paramagnetic amplitude??

Jack, yeah sunburn is reduced by keeping orientation from nursery to field. I just put the name tag to the north and then i plant the plant with the label facing north, if I have to remove the label I use marking tape on the foliage. I have to remember that plants are never meant to be moved unless they are a walking palm

Gotta get that book!

Peace

[Stomata]

Very interesting, thanks for the thoughts and links.