Abstract Local periodic stimulus can trigger stable pulse and target wave in the excitable media, the potential mechanism is that each cell is activated by continuous driving to keep pace with the external forcing. Indeed, local diversity in excitability and heterogeneity are induced when external forcing with diversity is applied on the media. When target wave is formed and propagated, the media will be modulated, e.g. it can emit electric signal from sinoatrial node and develops target wave in the cardiac tissue, and then the heartbeat is controlled completely. In fact, the distribution of electromagnetic field in the media is changed when external electric stimulus is applied on the media; therefore, the effect of electromagnetic induction becomes important during the information encoding and signal propagation. In this paper, the Morris–Lecar model is used to describe the local kinetic of the media and an induction current is considered thus the effect of electromagnetic induction can be described. Then the artificial heterogeneity is triggered to investigate the formation and development of target waves in the excitable media with electromagnetic induction and even radiation, which is described by using Gaussian white noise. Diversity in excitability and conductance of ion channels is considered, respectively, thus different kinds of artificial heterogeneity are developed to find the stability of target waves. It is found that the target wave encounters breakup with increasing of the intensity of electromagnetic radiation. Highlights • Biological neuron model is improved to consider the effect of electromagnetic induction. • Heterogeneity formation is explained on conductance and excitability diversity. • Electromagnetic radiation can suppress propagation of target wave. • Breakup of target wave can be induced by electromagnetic radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]