INFLUENCE OF 50HZ ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ON THE GROWTH OF CHILI PEPPER

• Main Author: Erisyanita, Adinda
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/69575
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) projects that the world's population will increase to 9.8 billion people by 2050, and the need for food will increase by 60%. On the other hand, global climate change, urbanization, and degradation of soil quality will reduce the area that can be used for cultivation. Therefore, the application of electric/magnetic fields for plants is expected to help increase food production. If a type of plant shows a positive or negative response after exposure, it is not impossible that other plants with a close kinship will produce the same response. Thus, electric/magnetic fields can be used to increase crop yields, or vice versa to inhibit the growth of pest crops. Research on the use of electric and magnetic fields for plant growth has started since the 19th century. Field exposure is carried out on seeds, plants, soil, water, as well as fertilizers/plant nutrients. Some researchers have found that applying electrical energy to plants can increase yields. Some others find the opposite effect, electrical energy can reduce fertility levels. Others have found that electrical energy has no effect on growth. In this study, chili pepper seeds were exposed to an electric field of 1 - 5kV/cm with duration of 15 - 90 seconds, an magnetic field from a current source of 1 - 10A (magnetic flux density 88 – 552?T) with duration of 15 - 90 minutes, and an electric field of 5kV/cm for 24 hours and an magnetic field from 300mA current source (magnetic flux density 40?T) for 24 hours as a simulation of the plant conditions under the SUTET (500kV EHV) line. Watering of seeds are divided into distilled water and magnetic water. Before starting the experiment, the chili seeds were soaked in water with an initial temperature of 70? for 2 hours. Then, the chili seeds were separated into 70 groups to get 70 different types of treatment. Each group consisted of 5 seeds with 3 replications, so that the total chili seeds needed are 1050. Chili seeds are planted on rockwool media measuring 5cm x 5cm x 5cm, with 5 seeds in each plot. Plot positioning follows the Complete Randomized Design (CRD) scheme with a total of 210 plots. The position of each plot was randomized every day, so that variations in the results of the study due to the position of the plants were negligible. The variation in observed results can be considered depending only on the treatment of the plant. For the control sample, chili seeds were not exposed to electric or magnetic fields. For groups of electric and magnetic fields, the exposure is done once at the beginning of the nursery. For the SUTET simulation group, the exposure was carried out continuously for 24 hours. The results when compared with the untreated control sample, chili pepper seedlings with SUTET simulation treatment produced plants with slower germination process, shorter root and stem lengths, and smaller final weight. Exposure to electric field of 1 - 5kV/cm for 15 - 90 seconds resulted in plants with higher root and stem lengths and higher final weight compared to other treatments. Meanwhile, exposure to magnetic field of 88 – 552?T for 15 - 90 minutes resulted in plants with a faster germination process and higher number of sprouts. The duration of exposure also has a positive impact, but not as big as the intensity of the field strength, both for electric and magnetic fields. Spraying with magnetic water had a positive impact on the control sample and the sample with the simulated SUTET treatment, but negative impact on the samples exposed to the electric field of 1 - 5kV/cm and the magnetic field of 88 – 552?T.