Effect of Magnetic Field-Treated Water on Growth and Yield of Leum Pua Glutinous Rice

Abstract

     The magnetic field technology is used to optimize the condition of water for better utilization of plants. This research applied the technique of a water flow through a magnetic field to test stimulation of the germination, growth, and yield of Leum Pua glutinous rice. The randomized complete block design was adopted and involved 4 experiments based upon the flow of water through magnetic fields, three of which were made of different kinds of magnets, as follows: 1) ferrite magnet 2) neodymium magnet 3) samarium magnet and 4) water. The results showed that the flow of water through the magnetic field increased a pH of water. As for electric conductivity, the level of total dissolved solids was found higher in the water flowing only through the samarium magnet than flowing through the water but the changing water property did not increase the percentage and period of germination. As for the period from tillers growing until harvesting, the results revealed that the height of rice stems and rice leaf greenness value were not statistically different. In addition, the quantum photosynthetic yield of PSII in the water flowing through the samarium magnet was higher than flowing through the water, which was a statistically significant difference, during a 130-day period after sowing rice seeds. Meanwhile, the value of electron transport rate was high during 61 and 117 days following rice seeds sowing and the quality of rice yields was not statistically different.