Electromagnetic Field Used in Precision Agriculture Does Not Induce Long-term Effects in Wheat and Maize

Abstract

With the increasing application of wireless technologies in crop production, the question whether radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) influence crops becomes significant. Effects of RF EMF on plants were studied at genetic, physiological, morphological, anatomical levels, and the obtained results were contradictory. EMF could affect plant growth, biomass accumulation and metabolite synthesis, and thus the quality and quantity of the crop yield. The aim of this study was to examine long-term effects of EMF emitted by wireless sensors used in precision agriculture on economically important wheat and maize varieties, during the sensitive early period of crop development. We investigated morphological (growth rate, biomass) and physiological characteristics (photosynthetic pigments, reducing sugars, anthocyanins and malondialdehyde) 10 days after 2-hour irradiation of sprouts with 900 MHz 370 V/m continuous electromagnetic wave. None of the examined parameters displayed statistically significant difference between control and exposed plants. We concluded that the 900 MHz EMF is safe for crops subjected to precision agriculture technologies even at strong electric field exposures for two hours.