influence of wheat Triticum aestivum L. seed pre-sowing treatment with magnetic fields on germination, seedling growth, and antioxidant potential under optimal soil watering and flooding

Wheat Triticum aestivum L. cv. “Banti” seeds were treated with magnetic fields (+MF) 30 mT, 50 Hz, 30 s to estimate the influence on seed germination, growth rate of seedlings, and plant tolerance under soil flooding (Fl). MF 30 mT, 50 Hz, 30 s did not stimulate growth processes under optimal soil watering, but flooding suppressed the growth of both (−MF; +Fl) and the (+MF; +Fl)-plants. The content of the thiobarbituric acids reactive substances, reflecting the intensity of oxidative processes, was lower in leaves of (+MF) than in (−MF)-plants. Soil flooding intensified oxidative processes in leaves and roots of the (−MF; +Fl) and (+MF; +Fl)-plants; however, this effect was less pronounced in the latter. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity in leaves and roots of (+MF)-plants was higher than in (−MF)-plants during the first days of the experiment. Flooding increased APX activity in all variants; however, in (+MF; +Fl)-plants it was the highest. Guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity in leaves of (+MF)-seedlings was significantly higher than in (−MF)-plants at some periods of plant growth. Thus, seed treatment with MF 30 mT, 50 Hz, 30 s did not stimulate seed germination and growth processes in the seedlings, but resulted in an increase of plant antioxidant potential under soil flooding.