Effect of electric field on seed germination and growth parameters of chickpea Cicer arietinum L.

Cicer arietinum (L.) seeds were exposed to electric field in the soil via electrodes. Four different EF were 3, 6, 9, and 12 V induced 10 minutes after 24 hours for 100 days, each treatment consisted g of an isolated gathering of plants. The rate of seed germination was better in experimental groups. Plant height, root length, number of leaves, number of flowers, plant dry weight, and seed weight were measured after the harvesting. Plant heights significantly increased under the influence of 3, 6, 9 and 12 V by 25.5%, 30.5%, 11.8%, and 17.1% respectively. Similarly, root length was significantly increased under 3, 6 and 12V by 28.6%, 24.0%, 3.0% respectively; whereas it was retarded by 3.0% under 9 V. Leave numbers were significantly higher by 25.3%, 25.2%, 15%, and 19.3% under the treatment by 3, 6, 9 and 12 V respectively. There was no significant increase in flower number, plant dry weight and seed weight.