Electromagnetic fields in precision agriculture: Do they provoke oxidative stress in maize plants

Margarita Kouzmanova; Boyana Angelova; Gabriela Atanasova; Blagovest Atanasov; Nikolay Atanasov; Vasilij Goltsev; Momchil Paunov

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Electromagnetic fields in precision agriculture: Do they provoke oxidative stress in maize plants

Margarita Kouzmanova

, Boyana Angelova

, Gabriela Atanasova

, Blagovest Atanasov

, Nikolay Atanasov

, Vasilij Goltsev

, Momchil Paunov

Abstract: Precision agriculture is a strategy for managing agricultural activities by using modern technologies, including communication modules, employing radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF), to increase the farming efficiency. Many studies have shown that plant species respond to RF EMF. This study aims to investigate the effects of 900 MHz EMF, used in precision agriculture on oxidative stress parameters in young maize plants.
Zea mays plants, variety Knezha-683A, at the developmental stage of second leaf, were exposed for 2 hours to 900 MHz EMF continuous wave, 370 V/m, in a semi-anechoic chamber. Since EMF—matter interaction and absorbed energy depend on the orientation of the object to the field vectors, two experimental setups were arranged, with the electric field vector perpendicular, or parallel to the plant stems. Control plants were transported to the place of irradiation but were not exposed to the EMF. Third group of plants stayed in the growing camera – referent control. Total antioxidant activity (TAA), hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content in the first and second leaf of the plants were determined one and two hours after the end of the exposure. The presented data were averaged from 3 independent experiments.
The obtained results showed differences in the oxidative status between the first and the second leaf. No statistically significant differences between exposed and control plants in the H2O2, TBARS content or the TAA were found. Under the investigated experimental conditions, 900 MHz, 370 V/m EMF does not induce oxidative stress in young maize plants.

Keywords: 900 MHz electromagnetic field; hydrogen peroxide; TBARS; total antioxidant activity

Citation: Kouzmanova, M., Angelova, B., Atanasova, G., Atanasov, B., Atanasov, N., Goltsev, V. & Paunov, M. (2024). Electromagnetic fields in precision agriculture: do they provoke oxidative stress in maize plants? Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 30 (Supplement 1), 118–124

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Date published: 2024-12-13

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