Vegetos

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of the tomato seeds towards the microwave radiation and response towards the environmental electromagnetic field. Pre-soaked tomato seeds of two varieties i.e. NS-585 and NS-2535 were exposed to X-band microwave radiation in the frequency range of 9.3 GHz for 4 h with pulse modulation of 1.3 KHz and the field strength of 0.2 V m-1 corresponding to the power flux density of 3.2 mW m⁻². The derived specific absorption rate value at 9.3 GHz frequency for NS-585 and NS-2535 was found to be 1.5 mW Kg⁻¹ and 1.2 mW Kg⁻¹ respectively. The functional group absorption spectrum of both seed varieties was also studied for a better understanding of the sensitivity and response of the compound present in the tomato seeds against the radiation exposure. There was a slight band shift in the absorption spectrum as well as in the band intensities in the studied region of the irradiated tomato seeds. The SAR distribution along the dimension was uniform. Therefore, it can be concluded that the radiation absorption, distribution over the tomato seeds are homogenous and the primary and secondary metabolite content increased as analyzed with FTIR and Raman spectra under the exposure radiation range.