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American Journal of  
Life Science and Innovation (AJLSI)

Investigating the Influence of  Magnets in the Growth of  String Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Plant
John Lloyd P. Alarcon1*, Jay C. Cuesta1, Mary Rhose B. Molejon1, Jiezel D. Paragsa1, Nova Mae Q. Ypon1

Volume 3 Issue 1, Year 2024
ISSN: 2833-1397 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajlsi.v3i1.2450
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajlsi

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: January 20, 2024
Accepted: February 18, 2024
Published: February 23, 2024

Magnetic treatment has potential as an agricultural tool, particularly for seed germination 
and seedling development. This study advances the knowledge of  the effects of  magnetic 
treatment on string beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants. The plants subjected to magnetic 
treatment are more significant in size, height, and overall health. The t-test result shows a 
considerable difference between the control and experimental groups, which signifies the 
effectiveness of  the magnetic treatment in the growth of  the string bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) 
plant. Farmers are encouraged to explore employing magnets as a low-cost alternative to 
fertilizer, enabling increased plant development and healthy growth even without traditional 
fertilizers. Economists may adopt magnetic treatment for its environmentally favorable 
properties and the transfer or continuing treatment of  healthy, magnetically exposed 
seedlings. Future researchers are encouraged to perform more studies to acquire more 
evidence on the efficacy of  magnetic treatment.

Keywords

Magnetic Treatment, Seed 
Germination, High Plant Yield, 
Smart Farming, Alternative 
Treatment

INTRODUCTION 
The magnetic field is one of  the natural components of  
the earth. Plants and other forms of  life interact with 
magnetic fields daily. Generally, the earth acts as a magnet 
with its south and north poles, and the natural effects 
of  the magnetic field have been changing plant growth 
and yield around the globe (Maffei, 2014). Specifically, 
the electromagnetic spectrum of  sunlight stimulates the 
growth of  plants by the process of  photosynthesis. The 
possible mechanism would be a change in the electrostatic 
balance of  the plant system at the cell membrane level, 
as it is the primary site for action of  any inhibition or 
enhancement of  plant growth. Magnetic treatments 
enhance seed vigor by influencing the biochemical 
processes, which stimulate the activity of  proteins and 
enzymes. Then, some studies reported that the magnetic 
field positively affected the number of  flowers and yield, 
nutrient and water uptake, and increased seed germination 
and plant growth, which are benefits of  the magnetic 
field’s higher strength.
According to studies, magnetic fields can significantly 
affect seed germination, plant growth, development, 
and yield depending on the species and exposure 
characteristics, such as strength and duration, which 
can affect the growth pattern of  the plants (Da Silva & 
Dobránszki, 2016).
The influence of  the magnetic treatment on a string bean 
plant is the main objective of  this experimental research. 
The study explicitly aimed to respond to these questions:

i. What is the germination rate and mortality rate of  the 
string bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plant?

ii. What is the growth rate of  the string bean plant 
(Phaseolus vulgaris) in terms of  the size of  its leaves and 
length of  growth?

iii. Is there any significant influence between the control 

and experimental group?

LITERATURE REVIEW
Effects of  Magnetic Treatment on Plants
Sunflower seedlings were subjected to static magnetic 
fields with strengths ranging from 0 to 250 mT in 
stages of  50 mT for 1 to 4 hours. Under laboratory 
germination tests, treatment of  sunflower seeds in these 
magnetic fields accelerated germination and enhanced 
seedling length and dry weight. The best results came 
from applying 50 and 200 mT for two hours. Seed coat 
membrane integrity was improved, cellular leakage was 
decreased, and electrical conductivity was decreased when 
seeds were exposed to magnetic fields. In the soil, treated 
seeds produced 1-month-old seedlings with statistically 
increased seedling dry weight, root length, root surface 
area, and root volume. Alpha-amylase, dehydrogenase, 
and protease enzyme activity in the germination of  seeds 
was considerably greater in treated seeds than controls. 
The quicker germination and early vigor of  seedlings 
may be caused by the more significant enzyme activity in 
sunflower seeds treated with magnetic fields (Vashisth & 
Nagarajan, 2010).
Magnetic fields (MF) have recently been developed with 
positive effects on plant germination and growth. The 
goal is to ascertain the effects of  magnetic treatment 
on the germination of  the Salvia officinalis L. species 
and Calendula officinalis L. Different seed groups were 
subjected to MF of  125 mT for varying lengths of  time. 
The findings of  chronic exposure at 125 mT were the 
greatest, with MGT significantly reduced compared 
to controls. The metrics measured for both seeds with 
treatment and pre-treatment were lower than the value 
matching the control (Treatment 1-50) and markedly 
decreased (Carbonell, Florez, Martinez, & Montoya, 

1 Paramount School of  Arts, Languages, Management, and Sciences, Incorporated, Philippines
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: alarcon.johnlloydpalmes@gmail.com



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Am. J. Life Sci. Innov. 3(1) 16-19, 2024

2012). Researchers have found evidence that magnetic 
treatment can preserve crop production and water quality 
as well as quantity. This study thoroughly reviews studies 
conducted over the last 20 years on the impact of  fields 
on plants. Investigations are conducted into how magnetic 
fields (MF) affect several elements of  plant development, 
seed germination, yield, quality, and water. The studies’ 
inconsistent findings and contradicting conclusions 
suggest that MF’s effect on plants may depend on the 
species and MF traits like intensity and exposure period 
(Nyakane, Marku, & Sedibe 2019).
In Rio & Rio’s (2013) study, both exposed and unexposed 
eggplants were discovered to have identical growth 
characteristics. Additionally, it was shown that plants 
of  okra, tomatoes, and eggplant exposed to EMF had 
fewer insects and pests than plants that were not. Further 
research on the beneficial impact of  EMF on the growth 
features of  okra while considering other factors is advised.

Research Paradigm

care of  the crops and waters them. The researcher also 
ensured that the crops received the right amount of  
sunlight. Every day, the researcher checks the plants to 
monitor their growth so they may measure it along with 
the development of  the plant’s leaves.

Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis is performed using the Statistical 
Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The data 
obtained from the germination rate, mortality rate, 
sizes of  leaves, and length of  the plant are subjected to 
descriptive analysis using the central tendency, the mean 
score. As for the significance of  observed differences, a 
t-test is utilized.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Descriptive Analysis of  the Growth of  the Control 
and Experimental Groups
Table 1 shows the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plant’s growth 
under normal conditions and magnetic treatment. The 
unhealthy changes on the leaf  and stem started to appear 
in the second week, especially in the control groups, 
followed by the experimental (with magnets) groups. At 
the end of  the fourth week of  observation, four samples 
died in the control group, while only one sample died 
in the experimental group. Overall, 26 out of  30 in the 
control group survived, while 29 out of  30 stayed in the 
experimental group throughout the research observation. 
The result of  the study implies that the bean plant in the 
observed growth has a significant growth rate compared 
to the bean plant samples in the control group.

Figure 1: The relationship between independent and 
dependent variables

Hypothesis of  the Study
H0: There is no significant difference between the 

control (no magnets) and experimental (with magnets) 
groups of  the String Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Plants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Research Design
This paper is a quantitative study that utilized an experimental 
research design to investigate the influence of  magnets in 
the growth of  string beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants.

Sample Description
String beans are one of  the most widely grown vegetables 
in the Philippines. It is a true legume and botanically more 
closely related to cowpea. A total of  60 samples of  string 
beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants were utilized: 30 samples 
with no magnetic treatment (control group) and 30 samples 
with magnetic treatment (experimental group). 

Preparation and Data Gathering Procedure
The researchers gather essential materials, such as soil, 
seeds, seedling bags, and magnets, to plant the string 
bean seed. As the materials needed are prepared, the 
researchers start cultivating the soil and transferring it 
into each seedling bag. The researchers count the total 
number of  seeds present and divide them equally into 
two groups, “with magnetic treatment” and “without 
magnetic treatment.” The researcher starts to plant the 
seeds in the corresponding seedling bags. There are 30 
planted seeds with the magnetic treatment and 30 without 
the magnetic treatment. Every day, the researcher takes 

Table 1: Germination Rate and Mortality Rate of  the 
String Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants
Changes Control Experimental
Germination Rate 26/30 (4th week) 29/30 (4thweek)
Unhealthy Leaf 2/30 (2nd week) 2/30 (3rd week)
Unhealthy Stem 1/30 (1st week) 2/30 (3rd week)
Plant Death 4/30 1/30

Seeds under magnetic treatment show 65 – 90 % of  seed 
germination accompanied by high fresh and dry matter 
compared to seeds without magnetic treatment. It also 
revealed an increase in cellular metabolism in seeds under 
the experimental group. The magnetic field treatment 
accelerated seed germination, boosting seed metabolism 
(Bezerra, ., 2023). In a similar study, the application of  
magnetic field treatment alters the magnetic character 
of  plants, enhances germination and photosynthetic 
machinery, and affects the nutrient uptake and tissue 
production of  the plant (Ercan, 2022).

Descriptive Analysis of  the Size of  Leaves and 
Length of  Growths
Table 2 shows the control and experimental groups’ 
average plant height and size. The samples in the 
experimental group have more giant leaves (measured 
from margin to margin; width) than the sample in the 



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control group. The experiment group is 24 percent bigger. 
Regarding plant growth, the average height after four 
weeks is 14.8 cm in the experimental group, 10% higher 
than the average height of  the control group, 13.3 cm. 

The plant growth is measured from the base of  the stem 
to the top of  the plant. This implies that the leaves and 
growth of  the bean plant exposed to the magnets grew 
more extensive and taller than those without magnets.

Table 2: Size of  leaves and length of  growth of  the String bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants
Results Size of  Leaves  (cm) Length of  growth (cm)

Control Experimental Control Experimental
Week 1 0.9 1.2 5.3 5.9
Week 2 1.8 2.9 10.9 11.8
Week 3 2.4 3.1 17.4 19.3
Week 4 3.6 4.3 19.5 22.1
MEAN 2.2 2.9 13.3 14.8

Fu (2012) discovered that the plant growth and leaf  size 
indicators of  plant health, samples exposed to magnets 
tend to grow faster, taller, and bigger than those in control 
groups. In the study of  Sarraf, Kataria, Taimourya, 
Santos, Menegatti, Jain, Ihtisham, & Liu (2020), the 
application of  pulsating and continuous magnetic fields 
at low to medium intensity has been shown to impact 
seed germination and development in some plant species 
positively. Applying magnetic fields in plants has shown 
an increase in root and shoot growth, an increase in 
photosynthetic pigment content, and an increase in cell 
division, which leads to more extensive and taller plants.

Analysis of  the Statistical difference between the 
Control and Experimental Group
The table below shows the t-test on the effectiveness of  
the magnetic treatment in the growth of  the bean (Phaseolus 
vulgaris) plant between the control and experimental 
groups. The result revealed the value of  p is 0.0025. The 
null hypothesis is rejected since it is less than the 0.05 level 
of  significance. This implies a significant difference in the 
control and experimental groups regarding germination 
rate, plant growth and leaf  size, and plant health.
Increasing the intensity of  the magnetic fields yields 
significant physiological changes that positively affect the 

Table 3: Statistical comparison of  control and experimental group using t-test
Comparison t-value p-value Statistical Significance Decision
Control vs. Experimental 4.05 0.0025 (p < .05) Yes Reject H0

germination, growth, and health of  a plant, contributing 
to an increase in productivity than without exposure to 
the magnetic field. Compared to traditional chemical 
methods, which can be expensive, harmful, and require 
precise application, using magnetic fields to stimulate 
germination is more straightforward, safer, and cost-
effective. (Morillo-Coronado, Martínez-Anzola, Velandia-
Díaz, & Morillo-Coronado 2022). A study revealed that 
magnetic fields significantly boosted plant growth. Seeds 
treated with magnetism had a higher germination rate 
and produced taller, more robust plants than the control 
group (Fu, 2012).

CONCLUSIONS
From the findings above, this study proved that magnetic 
treatments significantly impact the string bean plant. 
Samples under magnetic field treatment are healthy 
compared to the samples in the control group. It also 
proved that there is a difference in the height of  the plant 
and the size of  the leaves in the experimental and control 
groups. Magnetic treatment significantly influences the 
germination and growth of  the String bean (Phaseolus 
vulgaris) plant. Using magnetic fields as a treatment for 
plant growth is a relatively new and emerging field with 
promising potential benefits. While the exact mechanisms 
are still being researched, studies suggest that magnetic 
fields can influence various aspects of  plant physiology, 
leading to improved growth and yield.

Acknowledgments 
The authors thank the Paramount School of  Arts, 
Languages, Management, and Sciences Incorporated 
faculty and staff  for allowing us to conduct the study 
inside the school and for support throughout the process. 
The same gratitude is extended to the following people 
who played a significant role in the success of  the study: 
Clarisa Alfeche, Alben Alfeche, Lorena Sanico, Jonard 
Sanico, Welecita Paragsa, Jojie Paragsa, Minerva Alburo, 
Gerson Alburo Jr., Naome Quileste Carlos Quileste, and 
Lovely Rausch.

REFERENCES 
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A. F. B., Alam, M., Sales M. V., Dias, N. L., Gonçalves, 
J. F. C., Freitas, C. D. T., & Ramos, M. V. (2023). 
Static magnetic field promotes faster germination 
and increases germination rate of  Calotropis procera 
seeds stimulating cellular metabolism. Biocatalysis and 
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Carbonell, V. M., Florez, M., & Martinez, E. (2012). 
Effect of  magnetic field treatment of  germination 
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Da Silva, J. A., & Dobránszki, J. (2016). Magnetic fields: 
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Ercan, I., Tombuloglu, H., Alqahtani, N., Alotaibi, B., 
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