Exploration of microwave pulse condition for inducing external plant stimulation and elucidation of its mechanism

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22316
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 39:Agricultural and environmental biology and related fields
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: HORIKOSHI Satoshi 上智大学, 理工学部, 教授 (50424784)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 伸洋 上智大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (50735925)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロ波 / 植物外的刺激 / 植物育成 / パルス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The applicant accidentally discovered that Arabidopsis thaliana 14 days after sowing was significantly accelerated in growth by irradiation with "weak" microwaves for 1 hr. From this previous research, we have questions such as "What are the optimum conditions for microwave irradiation?", "What is the acceleration mechanism?", And "Is it effective in the farm?"
From the results of this application study, it was found that the conditions for irradiating the microwave with a pulse for 1 s are optimal, and that the plant body irradiated with the microwave expresses genes related to photosynthesis and leads to growth promotion. It was also found that when Komatsuna irradiated with microwaves was cultivated in the field, the germination rate, growth rate, and pest repellent rate were improved, and the productivity was improved.

Free Research Field

マイクロ波科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

申請者はマイクロ波と物質の相互作用を熱的または電磁波的効果を切り分けてマイクロ波化学を先導的に行ってきた。この研究を物質から生物へ置き換え、本研究がスタートしている。
本申請研究の内容は、物理学(電磁気)、生物(植物、分子生物学)を横断して行う複合領域であり、このような分野はないことから新分野としての学術的意義は高い。
また、植物の成長や機能を電気の力を短時間利用するだけで制御できることができれば、農業の効率や自動化に大きく寄与できるため産業分野への貢献も高い。したがって、計画生産や品種改良、農業自動化、食物問題など多岐にわたる問題を解決することができ、社会的意義が高い内容であるといえる。