Do geomagnetic variations affect plant function?

Relatively little is known about the effects of geomagnetism on plants. Such fundamental questions as (1) whether or not plants perceive the Earth's magnetic field, (2) the physical nature of the magnetic receptor(s) and (3) whether or not the geomagnetic field has any bearing on the physiology and survival of plants remain largely unanswered. The present review examines the possibility that three classes of unexplained biological rhythms in plants may relate to the sensitivity of plants to variations in the geomagnetic field. The first section examines the possibility that a class of plant rhythms, here termed 0.2–5 Hz rhythms, may be reflections of the sensitivity of plants to Pc1 geomagnetic pulsations. The second section reviews recent evidence that plants are affected by geomagnetic storms. The third section examines the possibility that circa-weekly, circa-fortnightly and circa-monthly rhythms in plants may be reflections of the solar rotation cycle and its sub-harmonics.