Magnetized water improved germination, growth and tolerance to salinity of cereal crops

Water scarcity is a major limitation for increased agricultural production and food security for world population. Under these conditions using low quality water for irrigation is mandatory in the present and near future. This necessitates looking for an approach to overcome this problem. Among approaches used to develop methods for cultivation in low quality water and adverse conditions is magnetic field stimulation. This approach is proven to be harmless, healthy and eco-friendly. Therefore, magnetic treatment of marginal quality irrigation water was used in this study to examine its impact on improving germination and early seedling growth in absence and presence of salinized water. Two cereal crops were used: Triticum aestivum L. (cv. Suds 1) and Hordeum vulgare L. (cv. Gustoe). The caryopses of both crops were germinated in Petri dishes containing non-magnetized (non-saline and saline) and magnetized water (non-saline and saline) for 12 d. After 12 day of germination, the length of radical and plumule was measured. Each treatment was replicated 4 times, and each replication consists of 24 caryopses. NaCl stress reduced the germination and early seedling growth (length of radical and plumule) of both crops. Magnetized water mitigated the injurious effect of NaCl and enhanced the length of the plumule and radical in presence and absence of salt stress. It can be concluded that irrigating cereal crops with magnetized water can improve germination and early seedling growth under saline conditions.