Electroculture, or the use of electrical currents in agriculture, is not a new concept. With a subterranean jolt, potatoes grew six times thicker, while carrots took on ‘strange’ sizes, according to a 1900 study.
“The key benefit is that the self-powered system can increase agricultural output by recovering lost wind and raindrop power in our daily lives,” says Dr Jianjun Luo of the academy.
Electrifying peas may seem like an odd technique to promote plant development, but a high-voltage field could be the key to increasing fruit and vegetable production. The output of the electrified peas jumped by about a fifth when compared to a second set of peas cultivated under normal settings, and the plants sprouted faster as well.
Static electric fields stimulate seed germination and plant development, and the new method could result in more abundant harvests while also reducing pesticide use. All of this was accompanied by wind, rain, and, of course, sunshine.