131
12
Electromagnetic Parameters
Related to Plants and
Their Microbiomes
Ed Moerman
Koppert Biological Systems
INTRODUCTION
Few people relate electricity or electromagnetism to plants and plant growth, perhaps because the
electrotechnical and plant physiological disciplines seem so different. But there are many electrical and electromagnetic parameters that can be measured in plants and in their environment. This
chapter describes a number of these parameters and how they can help us to better understand
the plant and may even be used to enhance plant growth. Electrophysiology is the discipline that
deals broadly with the flow of ions/ electrons in biological tissues and, in particular, to the electrical recording techniques that enable the measurement of this flow. Prof. Volkov has edited various
books on this subject, collecting work from scientists from all over the world. The latest work is
titled Plant Electrophysiology, Signaling and Responses ( Volkov, 2012: v). Its preface gives a comprehensive description of electrophysiology:
Plant electrophysiology is the study of the electrochemical phenomena associated with biological cells and tissues in plants. It involves measurements of electrical potentials and currents on
a wide variety of scales from single ion channels to tissues to entire plants or trees. Electrical
properties of plant cells mostly derive from the electrochemical properties of their membranes.
Electrophysiological study of plants includes measurements of the electrical activity of the phloem,
xylem, plasmodesmata, stomata and particularly the electrical signal’s propagation along the plasma
membrane. Action potentials are characteristic responses of excitation that can be induced by
stimuli such as applied pressure, chemical substances, thermal stimuli, electrical or magnetic and
mechanical stimuli, and biotic stressors.
Around 2010, the company I work for started to sell biostimulants to professional growers to
improve the resilience of their crops to biotic and abiotic stresses. One of my tasks as knowledge
manager was to search for indicators of plants’ resilience by asking the following questions: Is there
CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 131
Explanation of Some Electrical Terms ........................................................................................... 132
Electric Phenomena Inside the Plant .............................................................................................. 133
Using These Electrical Parameters to Better Understand and Monitor Plants’ Status,
Development and Processes .................................................................................................. 134
Effects of Applied, External, Electrical ( Electromagnetic) Factors on Plants and
Their Microbiomes ............................................................................................................... 138
Don’t Forget the Root Microbiome................................................................................................ 140
Discussion and Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 141
References ...................................................................................................................................... 142
DOI: 10.1201/9780429440939-14
12
Electromagnetic Parameters
Related to Plants and
Their Microbiomes
Ed Moerman
Koppert Biological Systems
INTRODUCTION
Few people relate electricity or electromagnetism to plants and plant growth, perhaps because the
electrotechnical and plant physiological disciplines seem so different. But there are many electrical and electromagnetic parameters that can be measured in plants and in their environment. This
chapter describes a number of these parameters and how they can help us to better understand
the plant and may even be used to enhance plant growth. Electrophysiology is the discipline that
deals broadly with the flow of ions/ electrons in biological tissues and, in particular, to the electrical recording techniques that enable the measurement of this flow. Prof. Volkov has edited various
books on this subject, collecting work from scientists from all over the world. The latest work is
titled Plant Electrophysiology, Signaling and Responses ( Volkov, 2012: v). Its preface gives a comprehensive description of electrophysiology:
Plant electrophysiology is the study of the electrochemical phenomena associated with biological cells and tissues in plants. It involves measurements of electrical potentials and currents on
a wide variety of scales from single ion channels to tissues to entire plants or trees. Electrical
properties of plant cells mostly derive from the electrochemical properties of their membranes.
Electrophysiological study of plants includes measurements of the electrical activity of the phloem,
xylem, plasmodesmata, stomata and particularly the electrical signal’s propagation along the plasma
membrane. Action potentials are characteristic responses of excitation that can be induced by
stimuli such as applied pressure, chemical substances, thermal stimuli, electrical or magnetic and
mechanical stimuli, and biotic stressors.
Around 2010, the company I work for started to sell biostimulants to professional growers to
improve the resilience of their crops to biotic and abiotic stresses. One of my tasks as knowledge
manager was to search for indicators of plants’ resilience by asking the following questions: Is there
CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 131
Explanation of Some Electrical Terms ........................................................................................... 132
Electric Phenomena Inside the Plant .............................................................................................. 133
Using These Electrical Parameters to Better Understand and Monitor Plants’ Status,
Development and Processes .................................................................................................. 134
Effects of Applied, External, Electrical ( Electromagnetic) Factors on Plants and
Their Microbiomes ............................................................................................................... 138
Don’t Forget the Root Microbiome................................................................................................ 140
Discussion and Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 141
References ...................................................................................................................................... 142
DOI: 10.1201/9780429440939-14