Aims: As a naturally occurring environmental factor as well as an external factor resulting from burgeoning technology, static magnetic field (SMF) has considerable effects on plants physiology. The effects of SMF on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown in plant cells. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the redox system responses of soybean (Glycine max) to different intensities of SMF.
Materials and Methods: In the present experimental research, M7 soybean seeds in their vegetative phase (14 days) were treated with 20 and 30mT SMF for 4 day, 5 hours daily. The experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design with factorial and at least 3 replications. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, using one-way ANOVA.
Findings: The treatment of 30mT resulted in a reduction in fresh weight, total antioxidant activity, and total regenerative capacity and increased hydrogen peroxide, but did not affect the total contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. In the treatment of 20mT, the level of peroxide decreased, but the fresh weight, hydroxyl radical level, antioxidant activity, total phenolic compound, and flavonoids contents increased. The amounts of Fe²⁺ decreased in 20mT but increased with 30mT.
Conclusion: In the Soybean redox system, SMF of 20mT leads the electrons toward useful redox compounds like phenolic compounds and results in growth stimulation, while SMF of 30mT leads the surplus electrons to destructive compounds such as Fe²⁺, which results in decrease of the plant growth.