Inducing salt tolerance in sweet corn by magnetic priming

<p>This study evaluates seed germination and growth of sweet corn under NaCl stress (0, 50, and 100 mM), after exposing the seeds to weak (15 mT) or strong (150 mT) magnetic fields (MF) for different durations (0, 6, 12, and 24 hours). Salinity reduced seed germination and plant growth. MF treatments enhanced rate and percentage of germination and improved plant growth, regardless of salinity. Higher germination rate was obtained by the stronger MF, however, the seedling were more vigorous after priming with 15 mT MF. Proline accumulation was observed in parallel with the loss of plant water content under 100 mM NaCl stress. MF prevented proline accumulation by improving water absorption. Positive correlation between H₂O₂ accumulation and membrane thermostability (MTI) was found after MF treatments, which revealed that MF primed the plant for salinity by H₂O₂ signaling. However, over-accumulation of H₂O₂ after prolonged MF exposure adversely affected MTI under severe salt stress. In conclusion, magnetic priming for 6 hours was suggested for enhancing germination and growth of sweet corn under salt stress.</p>