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Pre‐sowing static magnetic field treatment for improving water and radiation use efficiency in chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) under soil moisture stress
Author(s) -
Mridha Nilimesh,
Chattaraj Sudipta,
Chakraborty Debashis,
Anand Anjali,
Aggarwal Pramila,
Nagarajan Shantha
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.21994
Subject(s) - sowing , agronomy , water content , moisture , moisture stress , environmental science , biomass (ecology) , seed treatment , crop , water use efficiency , point of delivery , soil water , biology , germination , materials science , irrigation , soil science , engineering , geotechnical engineering , composite material
Soil moisture stress during pod filling is a major constraint in production of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), a fundamentally dry land crop. We investigated effect of pre‐sowing seed priming with static magnetic field (SMF) on alleviation of stress through improvement in radiation and water use efficiencies. Experiments were conducted under greenhouse and open field conditions with desi and kabuli genotypes. Seeds exposed to SMF (strength: 100 mT, exposure: 1 h) led to increase in root volume and surface area by 70% and 65%, respectively. This enabled the crop to utilize 60% higher moisture during the active growth period (78–118 days after sowing), when soil moisture became limiting. Both genotypes from treated seeds had better water utilization, biomass, and radiation use efficiencies (17%, 40%, and 26% over control). Seed pre‐treatment with SMF could, therefore, be a viable option for chickpea to alleviate soil moisture stress in arid and semi‐arid regions, helping in augmenting its production. It could be a viable option to improve growth and yield of chickpea under deficit soil moisture condition, as the selection and breeding program takes a decade before a tolerant variety is released. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:400–408, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.