Extremely low frequency weak magnetic fields enhance resistance of NN tobacco plants to tobacco mosaic virus and elicit stress-related biochemical activities

Increasing evidence has accumulated concerning the biological effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) in different plant models. In the present study, effects of ELF-MFs in tobacco plants reacting to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) with an hypersensitive response (HR) were evaluated. Plants were exposed for 8 or 24 h (either before or after TMV inoculation) to a static MF, at – 17 or 13 μT intensity, combined with a 10 Hz sinusoidal MF with different intensities (25.6 or 28.9 μT). The working variables were the area and number of hypersensitive lesions in leaves: following ELF-MFs exposure, an increased resistance was detected, particularly after an 8-h treatment, as shown by the decrease in lesion area and number. Moreover, two enzyme activities involved in resistance mechanisms were analysed: ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Uninoculated leaves previously exposed to ELF-MFs in general showed a significant increase relative to controls in ODC and PAL activities, in particular for 13 μT static MF plus 28.9 μT 10 Hz sinusoidal MF (24 h) treatment. In conclusion, ELF-MFs seem to influence the HR of tobacco to TMV, as shown by the increased resistance and changes in ODC and PAL activities, indicating the reliability of the present plant model in the study of bio-electromagnetic interactions