The influence of a weak horizontal permanent magnetic field on the composition and content of lipids in lettuce leaves

The lipid composition and content were analyzed in lettuce Lactica sativa L. (variety Stone head) leaves grown in a weak horizontal permanent magnetic field (PMF) produced by Helmholtz coils of 400 A/m strength under controlled conditions of illumination and temperature in phytothrone. Control plants were grown under the same conditions in a geomagnetic field. PMF decreased the total lipid content by 40% due to a significant decrease in polar and neutral lipids. Among polar lipids, the fractions of glycolipids and phospholipids diminished. Among glycolipids, the content of monogalactosyldiacylglycerols was lower by 25-52%. The content of phospholipids decreased, too, namely phosphatidylglycerols were lower by 17-51%, phosphatidylcholines by 21-24%, phosphatidylethanolamines by 12-20%, and phosphatidylinositols by 12-41%. Therefore, weak PMF reduced the content of lipids in membranes, including the chloroplast, mitochondrial, and cytoplasmic membranes.