ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Effect of Magnetized Water on the Growth
and Physiological Conditions of Moringa Species
under Drought Stress
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2017-12-21
Final revision date: 2018-02-20
Acceptance date: 2018-02-27
Online publication date: 2018-11-09
Publication date: 2019-01-28
Corresponding author
Khalid Rehman Hakeem
King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2019;28(3):1145-1155
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Magnetic water technology is supposed to be an eco-friendly tool used for alleviating drought stress
in the agricultural sector. The present study investigates the role of magnetized water on the two
Moringa species (Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina) under drought stress. The experiments
were conducted in a greenhouse to compare three watering regimes, including, 100% field capacity (FC,
as Control), 50% field capacity (FC, as moderate drought stress), and 20% field capacity (FC, as severe
drought stress), and two water treatments (normal water and magnetic water). Significant reductions
in plant height, leaf area, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll and ion contents, assimilation rate
(A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), water use efficiency (WUE), and vapor pressure deficit
(VPD) were observed during the drought stress. M. oleifera and M. peregrina seedlings when treated with
MW during SS level, exhibited 13.09%, 21.1%, 22.6%, 23%, and 10.7%,15.2%,12.9% ,13.19% decreases
in Chl a, Chl b, Chl (a+b) and carotenoids contents respectively, as compared to control seedlings.
The M. oleifera and M. peregrina seedlings exposed to drought stress (MS, SS) showed 1.26%,
3.79%, and 1.2%, 3.7% decreases in Fv/Fm under MWT. The drought-stressed seedlings treated with
magnetic water (MW) recovered from growth inhibition, chlorosis, and ion disruption. Magnetic water
(MW) improved the Na+/K+ ratio by lowering the accumulation of Na+ ions. Hence, the application of
magnetized water (MW) mitigated the adverse effects of drought in the Moringa species.