Magnetic field treatment on horticultural and agricultural crops: its benefits and challenges

ABSTRACT Magnetic field (MF) treatment, as an efficient and pollution-free treatment method, has received extensive attention from researchers and found broad prospects in horticultural and agricultural development. According to relevant studies, mainstream research direction is aimed at utilizing MF treatment to improve the economic traits of horticultural and agricultural crops. MF has positive effects, for example, on seed germination, seedling growth, crop yield and quality and plant tolerance to stress. In recent years, more and more researchers have focused their work on using seed MF or magnetised water (MW) irrigation treatment to improve plant tolerance to salt or heavy metal stresses, to achieve the purpose of soil restoration by plant heavy metal accumulation. In this review, the most commonly utilised MF or MW treatment methods have been described in detail, and the effects of MF treatment on horticultural and agricultural crops have been presented. Furthermore, new prospects for MF treatment and the associated molecular basis have been presented. Since different species or cultivars have different optimal dose requirements for MF treatment, it is still a challenge presently to promote MF treatment use in commercial applications. For successful implementation of MF treatments, it is essential to conduct a large number of screening experiments and more in-depth research on the effects of MF on cultivated plants.