Impact of laser radiation on seeds of Berteroa incana and Setaria pumila collected from habitats exposed to artificial light at night
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Date
2026
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Polskie Towarzystwo Inżynierii Ekologicznej, Politechnika Lubelska
Abstract
The aim of the controlled-environment experiment was to assess the effects of semiconductor laser light on the early growth stages of Setaria pumila and Berteroa incana, whose seeds had previously been exposed to direct artificial light at night (ALAN). The seeds were collected from two maize fields differing in nighttime light pollution: 1. a site in Siechnice (Wrocław County), located near the “Siechnice” horticultural complex emitting intense nocturnal illumination, 2. a control site in Jelcz-Laskowice (Oława County), situated ca. 12 km from the emission source. The collected seeds were subjected to presowing laser irradiation at three energy levels: three-fold, fivefold, and seven-fold of the base dose of 0.25 J·cm⁻², with an exposure time of 4.1 min. Non-irradiated seeds served as the control. The study proved that the root length of seedlings of both species originating from the ALANexposed site was significantly reduced compared with the plants from the light-pollution-free area. There were also differences in germination capacity of Setaria pumila seeds – those collected from the ALAN-exposed site germinated significantly weaker than those obtained from the ALAN-free location. Laser irradiation stimulated seedling growth; however, this response was more pronounced in plants originating from the environment without nocturnal artificial lighting.
Description
Keywords
ALAN, light pollution, laser irradiation, plants, seeds germination, roots length
Citation
J. Ecol. Eng. 2026; 27(9):67-74