Germination, physio-anatomical behavior, and productivity of wheat plants irrigated with magnetically treated seawater.

Salinity is an abiotic stress that reduces the seed germination and productivity of wheat. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of irrigation with magnetically treated seawater on the germination, growth, certain physiological and anatomical parameters, and production attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Sakha 93 plants. Experiments were conducted in the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Egypt, during two consecutive winter seasons. Pot experiments involved ten treatments with non-magnetized and magnetized water with various degrees of salinity. Plant samples were taken 95 days after sowing. Irrigation with magnetically treated seawater was found to have beneficial effects on plant growth, water relations, biochemical characteristics, and yield components compared with untreated plants. The germination of wheat seeds increased 13% when treated with magnetic seawater. On the yield scale, the spike length was increased by 40% in season one, and 82% in season two when compared to the control, while the weight of 100 grains increased by 148% and 171%, in each season, respectively, when treated with magnetic water. The anatomical leaf and stem parameters of the plants were markedly improved by watering with magnetically treated seawater at 10 dS m-1 compared to the control. However, the leaf water deficit, transpiration rate, and abscisic acid content in the plant shoots decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The use of magnetically treated seawater of up to 7.5 dS m-1, instead of tap water, is recommended due to benefits to germination and seedling parameters, growth, yield, and physiological, chemical, and anatomical characteristics. In conclusion, magnetic treatment of seawater improved germination performance, growth, and yield of wheat under saline conditions.

Physiological and anatomical studies of two wheat cultivars irrigated with magnetic water under drought stress conditions.

The aim of this study was to assess some physiological parameters and anatomical changes in two wheat plant cultivars (Triticum aestivum L. cvs. Sakha 93 and Sids 9) in response to irrigation with magnetized water under two levels of drought stress (field capacity (FC) of 75% and 50%) and the control (FC 100%) in two consecutive winter growing seasons (November 20 to May 5 2014/2015 and 2015/2016). Pot experiments were carried out in a greenhouse in the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shibin El-Kom, Egypt. A water deficit, particularly at 50% FC, significantly decreased growth and parameter values, above all in Sakha 93, and disrupted most physiological aspects, biochemical constituents and internal structural features of both wheat cultivars. Irrigation with magnetized water alleviated the negative consequences of drought stress on most physiological and biochemical parameters to a variable extent: the whole plant dry weight, total water content, total soluble sugar concentration in leaves, total free amino acids and proline increased by about 32, 12, 17, 27 and 73%, respectively, under 50% FC drought stress in Sids 9 compared to the control. As the levels of drought increased, the grain yield (g/plant) decreased considerably, from about 81% in Sakha 93 at 50% FC to 26% in Sids 9 at 75% FC. The use of magnetic water increased grain yield from 61% in Sakha 93 at 75% FC to about 268% in Sids 9 at 50% FC. Magnetic water also increased the thickness of the flag leaf midvein and lamina, as well as the metaxylem vessel diameter of Sakha 93 by 28.8, 11.7 and 20.0%, respectively, compared to the control. The application of magnetic water increased the growth and the other parameter values studied in both cultivars but above all in Sakha 93, whereas Sids 9 produced more grain yield under all levels of drought stress. As the growth and grain production increased in both cultivars when using magnetic water, this study recommends this type of irrigation for these wheat plants, which are widespread in Egypt.