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ISSN: 2348-1900
Plant Science Today
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Review Article
Impact of different musical nodes and vibrations on plant
development
Priya Singh1, Nidhi Srivastava1, Neha Joshi2 & Ina Shastri2*
1Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan, India
2Department of Music, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan, India
Article history
Received: 27 November 2019
Accepted: 26 December 2019
Published: 31 December 2019
Publisher
Horizon e-Publishing Group
*Correspondence
Ina Shastri
Ina_shastri@yaaho.com
Abstract
The effects of ambient environmental factors on physiological attributes of plants have been
explored extensively. Among all the factors, impact of sound on the plants is an interesting aspect
to study. This review attempts to comprehend the impact of sound waves on the development and
behaviour of the plants. Musical nodes with healing energy have a certain impact on seeds
germination. This can enhance overall plant health by improving growth and resistance, beyond
chemical triggers. In past, seed growth and germination behaviour, influenced by different pre-
treatments has been studied for different plants. This review is an effort to provide an indication
of the recent results, constraints, and prospective applications of sound wave therapy as a
physical trigger for modulating physiological characteristics and giving plants an adaptive
benefit. Sound wave therapy is now emerging as a fresh promotion for protecting crops from
harmful circumstances and maintaining plant fitness.
Keywords: Frequency; Development; Growth; Physiology; Music; Sound; treatment.
Citation: Singh P, Srivastava N, Joshi N, Shastri I. Impact o f different musica l nodes and
vibrations on plant development. Plant Science Today 2019;6 (sp 1):639-644.
https:/ /do i.org/10.14719/pst.201 9.6 .sp1.677
Copyright: © Singh et. al. (20 19). This is an open-access article distr ibu ted under the terms
of the Creati ve Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, provid ed the original author and source are credited
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Indexing: P lant Scienc e To day is covered by Scopus, Web of Science, BIOSI S Previe ws, ESCI,
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Introduction
Plants develop physiological and developmental
changes against environmental difficulties. It is
known that plants react to stimuli and music is
regarded as one. Music vibrations, in diverse form
of sounds are known to influence plants flowering,
nutritional status and also basis of extreme
variation in its metabolism (1). In fact, plants derive
pleasure from music and also play with it. Plants
feel delighted under the influence of music patterns
as their biological motions are affected. Though,
sometimes plants may also get adversely affected
and their plant tissues may get injured under the
stress of music (2). Plant tissues get relaxed by
gentle vibrations of light music (3).
It has been noted that different types of
sounds influence plant health differently. Many
scientists have also suggested that the impact of
acoustic frequency on plant growth patterns
consists of distinct music (4). In other words,
particular audible frequencies or distinct musical
frequencies promote better physiological
procedures such as nutrient absorption,
photosynthesis response, protein synthesis, etc., as
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Plant Science Today (2019) 6(sp1): 639-644
well as general growth and healthier crops
including enhanced height and larger leaves (5).
Music, however, is a harmonious and
articulate mixture of numerous frequencies and
vibrations with distinct shapes, characteristics and
pitches. According to researchers a plant’s mood
and health could be ruined by loud and
unpleasant sounds. On the other hand, pleasant
and soft rhythmic music would be better for their
growth and blossoms. Thus, these effects of sound
may increase the plant size, growth rate and also
influence their overall health (6).
Here, we are dealing with two
circumstances that are compulsory for sound
wave generation and circulation, where a
vibration frequency disturbance between 20 Hz
and 20000 Hz is the audible frequency range. The
various types of speed, pitch, loudness and timber
characteristics of sound waves have become
increasingly common in use for the purpose of
plant growth and development and more attention
has been paid on the material of environmental
stress created by specific music. However, there
are many issues, confusions and contradictions.
Some researchers are using various music styles
for crops, such as rock, jazz, classical or light music
and drew different outcomes, while others used
additional types of sound frequencies and sound
pressure (7).
As a result, it proves that, sound
stimulation could enhance resistance to diseases
and decrease chemical compost and biocide
requirements (8). On the other hand, the sound
effect structure and method have not yet been
disclosed. It was also indicated that under sound
stimuli some stress-induced genes could be turned
on and the transcription rate could be improved
(9). Treatment of plant acoustic frequency
technology with various stages of the plant
exposed to different music can be used. The
biological activities of the plant under the
influence of different types of music have been
mentioned (Fig. 1).
The effect of music on growth and germination
In the vast area of agricultural sciences, number of
studies have shown the role and vital impact of
music on plant growth, hence improving yield and
minimizing the use of fertilizers. Plants are
sensitive to different types of waves. The studies
already suggested that sound wave (SVs) with
different frequencies can accelerate the growth
and development of plants. Individual category of
plants reacts to the particular sequence of musical
notes with different sound waves to stimulate
growth (10).
Salvia officinalis L. plant was selected for
classical music which resulted into significantly
stimulated number of branches per plant and
increased height of plant in the addition to fresh
and dry weight (11). Musical waves as a
therapeutic energy, have a significant impact on
growth and germination of plants (12).
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is
recognized for drought hardy nature; this plant is
extremely adaptive to high temperatures and
drought than other species (12). Six different types
of music (Natural, classical, traditional, techno,
noise, traffic generated) exhibiting different types
of significant impact on its traits. Under classical
music, traits of cowpea, i.e. grain yield in single
plants (33%), stomatal conductivity (21%), leaf
relative water content (21%), chlorophyll (47%),
single plant leaf region (30%), plant height (38%),
sub-branches (52%), gibberellins hormones (81%);
nitrogen (44%) and calcium (21%) enhanced while
some characteristics, i.e. proline (31%), abscisic
acid hormone (2%) were compact to regulate (12).
Sound waves also influenced the growth of
Chrysanthemum (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus ex
Hook.) seedling by reflecting its cell cycle. Sound
stimulus can also accelerate Chrysanthemum
callus development. It was also noted that the
content of chlorophyll, proline and soluble protein
was remarkably enhanced after therapy under the
gradient magnetic field and SOD activity increased
significantly, while membrane permeability and
POD activity were decreased (13). There are
reports on the biological impact of sound waves on
paddy plants showed that the germination index
and stem height increased the new weight level
relatively (P<0.01); roots system activity and cell
membrane penetrability (P<0.01) improved
considerably at 0.4 kHz and 106 db SPL sound
wave frequencies (15, 16). Paddy seeds
development also improved when the stimulation
of the sound wave surpassed 4 kHz or 111 dB.
Sound wave effects on kiwi (Actinidia
chinensis A. Chev.) fruit resulted in highly rich
vitamin C, vitamin E, sugar levels and enhanced
root activity and number of roots; the permeability
of cell membrane was reduced (14). With a
significant difference on the A. chinensis, plantlets
had dual effect from sound waves on the root
development. Sound waves here have enhanced
root activity and improved number of roots, but
the permeability of cell membranes has been
reduced (15).
Recent proposal showed that the frequency
of the youthful root tips of Zea mays between 0.2
and 0.3 kHz was obviously bending towards a
constant source of sound and whole measuring the
elevated proportion of bending (16).
Plants are very sensitive. Hence, mostly the
impact of light and soft music improves growth
and yield. Soft music with light wave has gentle
vibrations that relax the plant tissues (17). Violin
music also significantly increases plant growth.
Mild music vibration helps the crops to grow
quickly and become stronger (18). This type of
work could be useful in increasing crop
production for the farmers (19).
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Photosynthetic response under the effect of
sound wave
PAFT (Plant Acoustic Frequency Technology) seeks
to introduce impose unique frequency sound
waves that are plant compatible with plant
meridian systems in order to boost plant output
and reduce fertilizer usage (20). Sound wave
treated strawberries grew-up stronger with deeper
green leaves, flowering and fruition. Strawberries
have been improved with resistance to diseases
and insects, with a slight impact on yield (21). It
also concluded that acoustic frequency therapy
could enhance photosystem reaction centre
activity, increase photosystem electron
transportation and photochemical effectiveness.
In addition, the absorption capacity of light
energy improved significantly by sound waves; the
result is more electron transport between original
quinine receptors on the receiving side of PS II,
more light energy for photochemical response and
last but not the least, less superfluous energy for
excitation (22).
Effects of sound and music on enhancement of
the plant immune system
Growth in the world's population poses a
challenge to explore opportunities to use fresh and
organic technologies to boost up food production.
Hence, sound wave technology can favour the
enhancement of the plant immune system; thereby
avoiding many environmental pollution issues and
the financial expenses on chemical fertilizers and
herbicides. Sound waves considerably enhance the
division and development of callus cells (P<0.05),
boost up protective enzyme activity and lipid
fluidity (24). In addition, sound waves can also
stimulate the secondary assembly of proteins; not
only in the cell wall but also in the plasma lemma.
However, the ideal stimulation of the sound
frequency will alter, depending on the exposure
time and application duration. Different plant
types have different reactions to sound stimuli
during various growth phases, as resonance occurs
when the internal sound stimulation frequencies
are in line with the spontaneous sound frequency
of the plant (24).
Moreover, when the sound waves energy
reaches the leaf, part of the sound energy vibrates
the leaf and the other part of the sound wave
energy reflects and diffracts around the leaf which
affects the insects around the plants. Sound
stimulates cause leaf stomata to open so that
especially in the morning, plant can increase its
absorption capacity of fertilizers and dew. The
stimulation of noise is also very effective in
bringing the herbicides into the plant. It is possible
to spray mature weeds with 50% less herbicide
and biocide. Sound stimulation therefore
decreases the chemical fertilizer and pesticide
requirements (15-25%). Improvement of the
immune systems of crop, in addition to refining
and reducing plant diseases, sound waves (SVs)
may also stimulate endogenous hormones. Thus,
acoustic frequency technology can support plant
growth, increase output and yield value (25).
Sound waves can influence germination
rates and increase plant growth and development,
improving the yield of some crops (24). Moreover,
it is also known that, sound waves can boost the
plant immunity against pathogens and may also
improvement their tolerance to drought. At the
cellular level, sound vibrations can affect
microfilament rearrangements, increase levels of
soluble polyamines and sugars, modify the activity
of various proteins and regulate the transcription
of certain genes (23). The increases observed are
greater in the plants exposed to musical sounds.
The effects of the sound are complex and
influential on the physiological mechanisms.
Acoustic stress and environmental stress induce a
down regulation of the expression of certain genes
in particular (4).
Plants signalling under the influence of sound
Sound waves (SVs) increase the content of soluble
proteins, transcription of genes and promote plant
development. SVs can vary the secondary
structure of plasma membrane proteins at the
Fig. 1. Expression pattern of different types of morphological
effects, physiological effects and biochemical effects on plants
through music.
Fig. 2. Plant under the influence of music and shows different
types of activities growth like growth, germination,
Phytohormones, protein synthesis, oxidant and antioxidant
activity, etc.
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cellular level; mark rearrangements of micro
filaments; generate signatures of Ca2-; provide
increased protein kinases; protective enzymes,
peroxidants, antioxidant enzymes, amylase, H+-
ATPase/K+ channel activity and enhance
polyamine, soluble sugar and auxin concentration
(15). Sound wave used for Chrysanthemum plant
can significantly alter the cell cycle and decrease
the number of cells in stage G0 and G1 while in
stage S it increased, indicating sound wave
accelerated Chrysanthemum development (17). The
cell proliferation method of the cell cycle
demonstrates the characteristics of living activity
in plants on the grounds of growth and
development (15). CDKs are important cell cycle
regulators and therefore their operations are fully
controlled. Recent studies on CDK regulation and
development, CDK inhibitors have been
introduced. These full procedures have an effect
on understanding the evolution of other signalling
pathways to understand how the cell cycle can be
connected machinery (15). Potential-based
membrane mechanism or membrane-associated
plant cell receptor(s) play an important part in
perceiving SVs. In crops and animal cells, further
advancement is estimated with the reality check of
a mechanosensory network. Mechanical influence
by SVs is like gravity, wind, tidal currents and rain
(25). Growth improvement is the most frequently
reported plant reaction to SVs stimulation.
Phytohormones control plant growth reactions
resulting from fast division elongation of cells (16)
showed that by enhancing cell division, SVs can
accelerate plant development (Fig. 3). This has
been further validated by research that indicate
alterations in phytohormone concentrations
following SV stimulation, i.e. important increases
in endogenous phytohormones such as gibberellin,
indole-3-actic acid and cytokinin in crops such as
cowpea, muskmelon, cucumber, tomato and
eggplant (15).
Fig. 3. Expression pattern of the Variance analysis results of
increased yield activity of eight different crops influenced by
music.
Importance of PAFT (Plant Acoustic Frequency
Technology) in Biotechnology
Plant biotechnology, and in specific, plant tissue
culture could profit from new ways of stimulating
plant progress. Although there is a restricted
amount of research, still there are proofs that
sonication with small sound frequencies (as little
as a few dozen Hz) can boost up organogenesis as
high as ultrasound (numerous dozen kHz). There
are several biological impacts of abiotic stress, i.e.
low frequency ultrasound, with heat and
chemical effects in the living organism. Cavitation
and audible micro streaming altered cellular
ultra-structure, enzyme stabilization and cell
growth. In addition, it may interrupt extracellular
polymers; release nucleic DNA; reduce cell
stability; change the permeability of the cell
membrane and change the cell surface charges.
In the field of biotechnology and agriculture, SV
treatments have positive effects in several growth
parameters of plants. In plant tissue culture
techniques, SVs have been initiated in favour of
organogenesis (9). In several crops, such as
Glycine max, Vigna unguiculata, Triticum
aestivum and Zea mays, ultrasound (sound above
the 20–20000 Hz audible range) increased
agrobacterium-mediated conversion. Further
stimulation was also noted in the growth and
development of different plant species such as
Daucus carota, Oryza sativa, Aloe arborescens,
Gerbera jamesonii, Cucurbita pepo, Dendrobium
officinale and Corylus avellane. Cotton crops
subjected to PAFT (plant acoustic frequency
technology) showed enhanced height, leaf length,
amount of bollard branches and bollards and
individual bollard weight (15). While in
strawberry crops increased photosynthetic
characteristics and enhanced disease resistance
was observed without influencing the yield (21).
Treatment of rice crops with PAFT led in a rise in
grain yield as well as quality: while yield
improved by 5.7%, protein content in vegetables
increased by 8.9%. Application of PAFT led to an
increase of 17% in wheat yield along with an
increase of 6.3.8.5 and 11.6% in starch, protein
and fat content of the grain. The use of PAFT has
improved the number of leaves and flowers,
chlorophyll content and yield in crops including
tomato, lettuce and spinach, while the spread of
sheath blight in rice decreased by 50% (15). The
post-harvest shelf-life of tomato fruits also
improved under the impact of SV: treatment of
tomato fruits with SVs of 1000 Hz delayed
ripening, that controls 25 percent use of
fertilizers can be decreased owing to the growing
tendency of SVs to increase further immune
responses to plant diseases and insect pests in
crops (18). Collectively, the studies have
demonstrated the possible big implementation of
SVs to improve crop yield, defence, nutrient
value, etc., which explains the detailed
advantages of SVs therapy in biotechnology and
agriculture (9). Sound waves can also control the
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weed/other unwanted crop growth by
electromagnetic energy, where sound waves
pulsed to the right set of frequencies affected the
plant at an energetic and sub molecular level (15).
The musical treatment in agriculture
Cell division, RNA content, development, sugar
content, enzymes and hormones increased by 1000
Hz and 100 dB in callus cell or plant wound cells at
20 cm for 1 hr (17). The variable frequency
generator of 60-2000 Hz and 50-120 dB at 50-100
meters improved plant immunity to pathogens,
insects and pests. The frequency adjusted for 1-3
hours in the morning depending on temperature
and humidity, improved the output of various
plants like in wheat (17.0%), lettuce (19.6%), sweet
pepper (30.05%), rice in pots (25.0%), cucumber
(37.1%), tomato (13.9%), spinach (22.7%) and
edible mushrooms (15.8%).
Conclusion and future aspect
Different environmental variables have significant
impact on plant growth, development and genetic
features. There is a strong link between sound
waves and plant growth in many researches, since
sound and sonication have a significant effect on
plant growth and morphogenesis. It has been
shown that sound waves with particular
frequencies and intensities have important
impacts on a multitude of biological, biochemical
and physiological operations including plant gene
expression. However, high frequency and intensity
sound waves may be detrimental to adequate
plant growth and development. In addition, these
musical nodes can very useful in the fields of
biochemistry, horticulture, physiology and
ecology.
This collective data will open up new
possibilities for further research to verify and
clarify the connection between sound waves and
plant reaction. This knowledge can be
implemented to support yield in agriculture and
this concept may also assist in the future to
address the hunger issue throughout the world.
Using sound waves for desirable crops might
induce them to develop while inhibiting unwanted
crops (e.g. weeds). For unambiguous knowledge,
the mechanism of how sound impacts the cell cycle
and plant growth requires further research and
more scientific studies.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Prof. Aditya Shastri,
Vice Chancellor, Banasthali Vidyapith for
providing all necessary support. We acknowledge
the Bioinformatics Center, Banasthali Vidyapith
supported by DBT for providing computation
support and DST for providing networking and
equipment support through the FIST and CURIE
programs at the Department of Bioscience and
Biotechnology. CESME, Banasthali Vidyapith,
supported by MHRD, Government of India under
the PMMMNMTT is acknowledged for organizing
the symposium.
Conflict of the interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of
interest.
Author’s contributions
Conceptualization by IS. Methodology, software,
visualization and writing by PS. Review and
editing by NJ. Supervision, investigation and
original draft by NS.
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