Inductively Coupled Electrical Stimulation - Part 4: Effect of PEMF on seed germination; evidence of triphasic inverse hormesis

Abstract

Our objectives were to study the effects of PEMF on a non-animal living system with a simple and unambiguous biomarker: seed germination rate. We selected seeds representing three groups: high- intermediate- and low-germination-rate seeds (lettuce, bell pepper, and strawberry, respectively). PEMF was applied at 15 pulses per second (pps or Hz) to strawberry and lettuce seeds, and 3 or 15 pps to bell pepper seeds, using only one well-defined PEMF pulse waveform shape and intensity. The only PEMF variables between groups were therefore PEMF pulse rate and total number of pulses, which was taken to be the PEMF dose, equivalent to the duration of exposure at a known pulse rate. In the case of lettuce, we studied the effects of germination using only one PEMF dose compared to no-dose (PEMF -) controls, and no interactions with other pre-planting procedures. In the case of strawberry seeds, we studied possible interactions between PEMF, pre-freezing and pre-soaking of seeds immediately before planting. For bell peppers, extensive dose-response curves are reported. Total dose was calculated as D = R * t, where R = pulse rate (pulses per second) and t = treatment duration (seconds), the product yielding D (dose, i.e. total number of pulses in the PEMF treatment). Bell pepper seeds have an intermediate germination rate that allows the possibility for large and commercially important swings in germination rate both up and down, so we attempted to construct a full spectrum dose-response curve, beginning with PEMF dosing thought to be below threshold then extending into what was thought to potentially be the excessive and toxic range. We also attempted to identify which PEMF parameters are most relevant for dosing: total number of pulses versus “frequency” (pulse rate) and duration of exposure. Results: Lettuce seeds showed evidence of a positive effect of PEMF on germination rate (79% unstimulated, 92% stimulated), with no effect on average time to germination. Strawberry seeds showed little effect of PEMF on germination, if any, and no apparent interaction with pre-freezing or pre-soaking of seeds. Bell Pepper seeds showed a clear inverse hormesis response within the dose range studied, and suggested a tri-phasic response to PEMF exposure for doses in excess of those applied. Specifically, extremely low PEMF doses had a negative effect on bell pepper seed germination rate, whereas intermediate doses had significant positive effects on germination rate, and germination rate began trending down again for the highest PEMF doses, suggesting a third phase of inhibited germination for extreme PEMF dosages. This latter trend was not fully elucidated by the present data set, but is only suggested by data points at the most extreme upper dosages included in this study. Overall, these results were entirely unexpected and may be of importance, therefore independent replication of these results is advised. To explain the unexpected results, a detailed discussion of various multi-phasic dose-response curves is also included. All negative findings were included in this report, specifically to counteract the dominant practice of publication bias in the life sciences.