Comparisons of Rice Seed Growths Due to Alternating and Direct Current Electric and Magnetic Field Influences

Abstract

It is commonly known that electric and magnetic fields of power transmission negatively and positively influence plants. Unfortunately, studies on these influences are minimal, particularly considering the comparison between magnetic field and electric field, on both DC (direct current) and AC (alternating current). This research aims to compare the influences of magnetic field and electric field, both on AC and DC, on rice plant growth. Firstly, prototypes, including the equipment, were constructed to generate AC and DC electric fields using parallel plates of a medium voltage transformer and Cockroft-Walton circuits. Meanwhile, the AC and DC magnetic fields were prepared using three different diameter current-injected coils. The rice seeds were exposed to electric and magnetic fields for one month, with plate distance and coil diameter variations. The results showed that the rice seeds grew differently according to the respective types and magnitudes of the fields. In the first two days, the rice seed growths exposed to electric and magnetic fields were higher than those without field exposures. However, since the thirteenth day, the rice growth rate with field exposure was lower than without. This study also shows that the influences of the DC electric and magnetic fields were more potent than the AC fields. The averages of rice seed growth decreasing rate for the AC and DC electric fields and AC and DC magnetic fields were 0.00827 cm/(kV/m), 0.01167 cm/(kV/m), -0.13267 cm/mT and 1.99005 cm/mT, respectively. As a general suggestion in sites, rice plants should be avoided from a transmission line due to high voltage direct current (DC) rather than that alternating current (AC).