Pre-Sowing Laser Light Stimulation Increases Yield and Protein and Crude Fat Contents in Soybean

Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra (), Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner, Anna Ślizowska, Dominika Kot, Jan Wincenty Dobrowolski, Zbigniew Pilch and Ewa Dacewicz
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Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra: Department of Agroecology and Plant Production, University of Agriculture, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner: Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Tulln, Austria
Anna Ślizowska: Department of Agroecology and Plant Production, University of Agriculture, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Dominika Kot: Department of Agroecology and Plant Production, University of Agriculture, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Jan Wincenty Dobrowolski: Department of Photogrammetry Remote Sensing of Environment and Spatial Engineering, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Zbigniew Pilch: Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Technology, ul. Warszawska 24, 31-155, Kraków, Poland
Ewa Dacewicz: Department of Sanitary Engineering and Water Economy, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Pre-sowing laser light stimulation is a method commonly used to increase the productivity of legume species. However, it has not been proved that single-laser light stimulation is a more effective technique for enhancing plant productivity and seed yield quality than using different laser lights in sequence, by which means synergistic relations are produced. A two-year, single-factor field experiment was performed in order to test selected combinations of light stimulation of soybean seeds, the effectiveness of which would be expressed as increased plant yield and improved quality parameters. Pre-sowing light stimulation of soybean seeds was shown to significantly influence the morphological traits of the plants. It significantly increased pod number, pod weight, seed number, and seed weight compared to the control. Coherent laser light stimulation of soybean seeds with a helium–neon laser and with an argon laser increased soybean yields by 30% on average compared to the control. The ratio of the yield from the main shoot to the yield from the lateral branches in this treatment was 40:60, indicating that pre-sowing stimulation of seeds had a significant and positive effect by increasing the yield of the lateral branches relative to the control. Stimulation of seeds (3 × 3 s) with a helium–neon laser significantly increased protein content in soybean seeds, on average by 11% compared to the control. A longer duration of pre-sowing stimulation of seeds (3 × 9 s) resulted in a significant increase in crude fat content in the seeds by an average of 5% compared to the control. The use of physical light stimulation on soybean seeds is a promising solution for increasing soybean yields.

Keywords: soybean; light stimulation; yield components; shoots (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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