Enhancing sustainable plant production and food security: Understanding the mechanisms and impacts of electromagnetic fields

The prevalence of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) caused by electromagnetic radiation is increasing in our daily lives, potentially bringing both adverse and beneficial effects. EMFs have garnered significant research attention in various disciplines, including agricultural science. However, our understanding of the impact of EMFs on the ecophysiological performance of plants under suboptimal conditions is limited. Despite this, there are indications that EMFs can improve crop productivity by enhancing seed germination, plant nutrition, precision farming, water use efficiency, root hydraulic conductance, plant water uptake, anti-oxidative defense, pest prevention, stress signaling, and hormonal pathways. This review highlights the practical application of EMFs for increasing plant biomass production by elucidating the underlying mechanisms involved in seed germination, plant growth, water relations, ion flux, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense. We also highlight the prospects for using EMFs in sustainable agriculture and their potential to alleviate the conventional agricultural pressures related to food security issues.