Exposure to electromagnetic fields used in precision agriculture do not affect redox status in maize

Nowadays many technologies aid farming efficiency – practice called precision agriculture. Wireless sensors collecting environmental data increase electromagnetic field levels in the farmland. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of 900 MHz electromagnetic field used in precision agriculture on the redox status in maize. Zea mays variety Knezha-683A plants were grown in pots under controlled laboratory conditions until development of the second leaf. Then the pot was exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic field in an anechoic chamber for 2 hours (marked as EMF). The antenna was located sideward of the plants, so the electric field vector (370 V/m) was parallel to the stems. Since the plants located along the pot edges are expected to absorb more electromagnetic energy than the plants in the center, they were considered as separate experimental groups: Outer – closer to the antenna, and Inner – further from it. The second pot was transported to the place of irradiation but the plants were not exposed to the electromagnetic field – control. The third pot was kept in the growth chamber – referent control. After exposure, the hydrogen peroxide content and total antioxidant activity in the second leaf were measured. The presented data were averaged from six independent experiments. Our results show there was no statistically significant differences in the hydrogen peroxide content and the total antioxidant activity between the exposed and control maize variants, as well as between Inner and Outer plants. Under the investigated exposure conditions 900 MHz electromagnetic field did not induce alterations in the redox status in young maize plants. Keywords: 900 MHz electromagnetic field, hydrogen peroxide, total antioxidant activity