title: Pre-sowing static magnetic field treatment for improving water and radiation use efficiency in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under soil moisture stress.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nilimesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mridha
authors.affiliation: Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sudipta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chattaraj
authors.affiliation: Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Debashis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Pramila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.affiliation: Division of Agricultural Physics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
mesh_terms: D029863:Cicer / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D014867:Water
keywords: genotype; root parameters; seed treatment; water potential; yield components