Application of electrical technologies for pre-sowing treatment of spring barley seeds. Part 1. Establishing the optimal effect of an electric field action of alternating voltage of industrial frequency on seeds

Many methods have now been developed for stimulating processing of seed material using laser, ultrasonic, plasma, magnetic, electrical and other treatments. We evaluated the pre-sowing treatment of seed material of spring barley with a variable electric field, which provided a reliable increase in germination energy and laboratory germination with a certain period of backfilling days, but clarification of the mechanisms of this impact is required. Pre-sowing treatment of seeds in an alternating electric field of industrial frequency (PET) with a voltage of 5 kV/cm was carried out at a laboratory installation. At the same time, the positive reaction of all the studied treatment modes in a variable electric field to spring barley seeds was revealed. The best mode of treating seeds with a variable electric field is 40 seconds in all the years of research, the highest indicators of germination energy and laboratory germination are shown here. We have established that the effect on seeds with a variable electric field is observed already at the first stages of plant development and the positive effect of the action is also preserved on the 5th day of seed tracing and significantly exceeds control. Pre-sowing treatment of spring barley seeds with an alternating electric field of industrial frequency gave positive results for all days of tracing, but the maximum effect was obtained on the fifth day of tracing both for germination energy by 14% and for laboratory germination from 24 to 30%.