Interaction of electromagnetic field (10 kHz) with ferritin nanoparticles and antioxidant system of wheat at reproductive phase

Effects of magnetic and electromagnetic fields on the living organisms have drawn attention in the recent years، but their exact mechanisms are still unclear. In the present study، the effects of 10 kHz electromagnetic magnetic field on some physiological parameters of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were evaluated. The plants in their reproductive phase were treated for 4 days، each 5 h. Then the iron content، ratio of Fe-bound proteins to total proteins، content، size and secondary structure of ferritin nanoparticles as well as activity of antioxidant system were evaluated. The results showed that in comparison with the control plants، treatment with electromagnetic field significantly increased the iron contents of all organs except seeds and ratio of Fe-bound proteins to total proteins of seeds. The content and secondary structure of ferritin nanoparticles in edible parts of magnetic field treated plants were decreased significantly، but the hydrodynamic diameter was increased significantly compared to the control plants. This treatment also caused the significant increase of catalase activity and remarkably decreased peroxidase activity of wheat seeds، which in turn led to maintenance of membrane lipid peroxidation. These results suggested that electromagnetic field with applied frequency affected wheat plants by changing the content of total iron، Fe-bound proteins special ferritin and its characteristics and activation of antioxidant system.