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Plasma-Activated Seed Germination

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 41675

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Dr. Ricardo Molina

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Department of Chemical and Surfactants Technology, Plasma Chemistry Group (CSIC), Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), Barcelona, Spain
Interests: plasma agriculture; atmospheric plasmas; polymer surface functionalization; plasma in liquids; plasma treatment of biomaterials; plasma-assisted polymerization
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Dear Colleagues,

Seed germination is a complex physiological process that begins with water uptake by the seed (imbibition) and ends with the emergence of the radicle. Both the seed surface characteristics (e.g., specific morphology, structure, or composition) and its surrounding environment (moisture content, temperature, etc.) are known to influence the kinetics and amount of water uptake by the seeds. Therefore, the modification of seed surface properties related to the seed–medium interaction (e.g., hydrophilicity, oxygen permeability) is a useful method that can be employed to control seed germination. At present, the non-thermal plasma surface activation of seeds is increasingly being explored in the agricultural field as an effective pre-sowing treatment modulating seed germination, with an added advantage of providing a certain degree of sterilization against endospores or fungi. However, different aspects concerning the plasma activation of seeds in germination remain poorly understood, and the germination behavior seems not to be univocal. Additionally, although in most cases a positive seed germination effect has been obtained, in some cases the germination rate remains unaffected or even decreases. Therefore, further studies aimed at elucidating the mechanism involved in the germination of plasma-activated seeds are required. This Special Issue calls for original articles and reviews investigating these interesting aspects involved in the germination of plasma-treated seeds, such as seed surface characteristics (seed structure, morphology, or composition), the influence of irrigation conditions, the effect of time elapsed after the plasma treatment, storage conditions (e.g., R.H., temperature), possible genetic damage occurring as a consequence of plasma treatment, plant growth behavior, and studies in future generations of plants.

Dr. Ricardo Molina
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Plasma agriculture
Seed germination
Ageing
Storing conditions
Genetic damage
Plant growth
Disinfection
Imbibition
Dormancy

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gas-Plasma-Activated Water Impact on Photo-Dependent Dormancy Mechanisms in Nicotiana tabacum Seeds

by Giles Grainge, Kazumi Nakabayashi, Felipe Iza, Gerhard Leubner-Metzger and Tina Steinbrecher

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6709; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126709 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2141

Abstract

Seeds sense temperature, nutrient levels and light conditions to inform decision making on the timing of germination. Limited light availability for photoblastic species results in irregular germination timing and losses of population germination percentage. Seed industries are therefore looking for interventions to mitigate this risk. A growing area of research is water treated with gas plasma (GPAW), in which the formed solution is a complex consisting of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Gas plasma technology is widely used for sterilisation and is an emerging technology in the food processing industry. The use of the GPAW on seeds has previously led to an increase in germination performance, often attributed to bolstered antioxidant defence mechanisms. However, there is a limited understanding of how the solution may influence the mechanisms that govern seed dormancy and whether photoreceptor-driven germination mechanisms are affected. In our work, we studied how GPAW can influence the mechanisms that govern photo-dependent dormancy, isolating the effects at low fluence response (LFR) and very low fluence response (VLFR). The two defined light intensity thresholds affect germination through different phytochrome photoreceptors, PHYB and PHYA, respectively; we found that GPAW showed a significant increase in population germination percentage under VLFR and further described how each treatment affects key physiological regulators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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13 pages, 3087 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of High-Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma Treatment on Germination and Heavy Metal Uptake by Soybeans (Glycine max)

by Shikhadri Mahanta, Mohammad Ruzlan Habib and Janie McClurkin Moore

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031611 - 30 Jan 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3395

Abstract

The need to feed 9.9 billion people by 2050 will require the coordination of farming practices and water utilization by nutrient-dense plants and crops. High levels of lead (Pb), a toxic element that can accumulate in plants, can lead to toxicity in humans. With the development of novel treatment technologies, such as atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) and engineered nanoparticles (NPs), the time to germination and levels of heavy metals in food and feed commodities can be reduced. This study provides insight into the impact of plasma-activated water (PAW) on the germination rates and effects of soybean seeds, and the resultant combination effects of zinc oxide uptake in the presence of lead. Soybean seedlings were watered with PAW (treated for 3, 5, and 7 min at 30, 50, and 70 kV), and the germination and growth rate were monitored for 10 days. The germinated seedlings were then grown hydroponically in a nutrient solution, and the biomass of each example was measured. The PAW treatment that resulted in the best growth of soybean seeds was then exposed to Pb and zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) to investigate heavy metal uptake in the presence of nanoparticles. After acid digestion, the rate of heavy metal uptake by the soybean plants was evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The PAW seeds grew and germinated more quickly, demonstrating that the plasma therapy had an effect. The rate of heavy metal uptake by the plants was also shown to be 5x lower in the presence of ZnONP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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12 pages, 20642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An In Situ FTIR Study of DBD Plasma Parameters for Accelerated Germination of Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds

by Alexandra Waskow, Lorenzo Ibba, Max Leftley, Alan Howling, Paolo F. Ambrico and Ivo Furno

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(21), 11540; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222111540 - 26 Oct 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3091

Abstract

Current agricultural practices are not sustainable; however, the non-thermal plasma treatment of seeds may be an eco-friendly alternative to alter macroscopic plant growth parameters. Despite numerous successful results of plasma-seed treatments reported in the literature, the plasma-treatment parameters required to improve plant growth remain elusive due to the plethora of physical, chemical, and biological variables. In this study, we investigate the optimal conditions in our surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) setup, using a parametric study, and attempt to understand relevant species in the plasma treatment using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy. Our results suggest that treatment time and voltage are key parameters for accelerated germination; however, no clear conclusion on causative agents can be drawn. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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17 pages, 3730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Dielectric Barrier Ambient Air Plasma on Two Brassicaceae Seeds: Arabidopsis thaliana and Camelina sativa

by Maxime Bafoil, Mohammed Yousfi, Christophe Dunand and Nofel Merbahi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(18), 9923; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22189923 - 14 Sep 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2224

Abstract

We investigated low-temperature plasma effects on two Brassicaceae seeds (A. thaliana and C. sativa) using dielectric barrier discharge in air. Comparisons of plasma treatments on seeds showed distinct responses on germination rate and speed. Optimal treatment time giving optimal germination is 15 min for A. thaliana with 85% increase compared to control after 48 h of germination and 1 min for C. sativa with 75% increase compared to control after 32 h of germination. Such germination increases are associated with morphological changes shown by SEM of seed surface. For better understanding at the biochemical level, seed surfaces were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry which underlined changes of lipidic composition. For both treated seeds, there is a decrease of saturated (palmitic and stearic) fatty acids while treated C. sativa showed a decrease of unsaturated (oleic and linoleic) acids and treated A. thaliana an increase of unsaturated ones. Such lipid changes, specifically a decrease of hydrophobic saturated fatty acids, are coherent with the other analyses (SEM, water uptake and contact angle). Moreover, an increase in A. thaliana of unsaturated acids (very reactive) probably neutralizes plasma RONS effects thus needing longer plasma exposure time (15 min) to reach optimal germination. For C. sativa, 1 min is enough because unsaturated linoleic acid becomes lower in treated C. sativa (1.2 × 10⁷) compared to treated A. thaliana (3.7 × 10⁷). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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14 pages, 23992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plasma Technology Increases the Efficacy of Prothioconazole against Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium proliferatum Contamination of Maize (Zea mays) Seedlings

by Mario Masiello, Stefania Somma, Chiara Lo Porto, Fabio Palumbo, Pietro Favia, Francesco Fracassi, Antonio Francesco Logrieco and Antonio Moretti

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179301 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2052

Abstract

The contamination of maize by Fusarium species able to produce mycotoxins raises great concern worldwide since they can accumulate these toxic metabolites in field crop products. Furthermore, little information exists today on the ability of Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium graminearum, two well know mycotoxigenic species, to translocate from the seeds to the plants up to the kernels. Marketing seeds coated with fungicide molecules is a common practice; however, since there is a growing need for reducing chemicals in agriculture, new eco-friendly strategies are increasingly tested. Technologies based on ionized gases, known as plasmas, have been used for decades, with newer material surfaces, products, and approaches developed continuously. In this research, we tested a plasma-generated bilayer coating for encapsulating prothioconazole at the surface of maize seeds, to protect them from F. graminearum and F. proliferatum infection. A minimum amount of chemical was used, in direct contact with the seeds, with no dispersion in the soil. The ability of F. graminearum and F. proliferatum species to translocate from seeds to seedlings of maize has been clearly proven in our in vitro experiments. As for the use of plasma technology, the combined use of the plasma-generated coating with embedded prothioconazole was the most efficient approach, with a higher reduction of the infection of the maize seminal root system and stems. The debated capability of the two Fusarium species to translocate from seeds to seedlings has been demonstrated. The plasma-generated coating with embedded prothioconazole resulted in a promising sustainable approach for the protection of maize seedlings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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20 pages, 3553 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementation of a Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma for Eradication of Plant Pathogens from a Surface of Economically Important Seeds

by Agata Motyka-Pomagruk, Anna Dzimitrowicz, Jakub Orlowski, Weronika Babinska, Dominik Terefinko, Michal Rychlowski, Michal Prusinski, Pawel Pohl, Ewa Lojkowska, Piotr Jamroz and Wojciech Sledz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9256; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179256 - 26 Aug 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2432

Abstract

Plant pathogenic bacteria cause significant economic losses in the global food production sector. To secure an adequate amount of high-quality nutrition for the growing human population, novel approaches need to be undertaken to combat plant disease-causing agents. As the currently available methods to eliminate bacterial phytopathogens are scarce, we evaluated the effectiveness and mechanism of action of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP). It was ignited from a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operation in a plasma pencil, and applied for the first time for eradication of Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp., inoculated either on glass spheres or mung bean seeds. Furthermore, the impact of the DBD exposure on mung bean seeds germination and seedlings growth was estimated. The observed bacterial inactivation rates exceeded 3.07 logs. The two-minute DBD exposure stimulated by 3–4% the germination rate of mung bean seeds and by 13.4% subsequent early growth of the seedlings. On the contrary, a detrimental action of the four-minute DBD subjection on seed germination and early growth of the sprouts was noted shortly after the treatment. However, this effect was no longer observed or reduced to 9.7% after the 96 h incubation period. Due to the application of optical emission spectrometry (OES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we found that the generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), i.e., N₂, N₂⁺, NO, OH, NH, and O, probably led to the denaturation and aggregation of DNA, proteins, and ribosomes. Furthermore, the cellular membrane disrupted, leading to an outflow of the cytoplasm from the DBD-exposed cells. This study suggests the potential applicability of NTAPPs as eco-friendly and innovative plant protection methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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20 pages, 3416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment of Maize Grains—Induction of Growth, Enzyme Activities and Heat Shock Proteins

by Ľudmila Holubová, Renáta Švubová, Ľudmila Slováková, Boris Bokor, Valéria Chobotová Kročková, Ján Renčko, Filip Uhrin, Veronika Medvecká, Anna Zahoranová and Eliška Gálová

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8509; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168509 - 7 Aug 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2404

Abstract

Zea mays L. is one of the most produced crops, and there are still parts of the world where maize is the basic staple food. To improve agriculture, mankind always looks for new, better methods of growing crops, especially in the current changing climatic conditions. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) has already showed its potential to enhance the culturing of crops, but it still needs more research for safe implementation into agriculture. In this work, it was shown that short CAPP treatment of maize grains had a positive effect on the vitality of grains and young seedlings, which may be connected to stimulation of antioxidant and lytic enzyme activities by short CAPP treatment. However, the prolonged treatment had a negative impact on the germination, growth, and production indexes. CAPP treatment caused the increased expression of genes for heat shock proteins HSP101 and HSP70 in the first two days after sowing. Using comet assay it was observed that shorter treatment times (30–120 s) did not cause DNA damage. Surface diagnostics of plasma-treated grains showed that plasma increases the hydrophilicity of the surface but does not damage the chemical bonds on the surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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19 pages, 8740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Germination of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds after a Short Treatment with a Powerful RF Plasma

by Nina Recek, Matej Holc, Alenka Vesel, Rok Zaplotnik, Peter Gselman, Miran Mozetič and Gregor Primc

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(13), 6672; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22136672 - 22 Jun 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6681

Abstract

Seeds of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), of the Etna variety, were treated with low-pressure oxygen plasma sustained by an inductively coupled radiofrequency discharge in the H-mode for a few seconds. The high-intensity treatment improved seed health in regard to fungal contamination. Additionally, it increased the wettability of the bean seeds by altering surface chemistry, as established by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and increasing surface roughness, as seen with a scanning electron microscope. The water contact angle at the seed surface dropped to immeasurably low values after a second of plasma treatment. Hydrophobic recovery within a month returned those values to no more than half of the original water contact angle, even for beans treated for the shortest time (0.5 s). Increased wettability resulted in accelerated water uptake. The treatment increased the bean radicle length, which is useful for seedling establishment in the field. These findings confirm that even a brief plasma treatment is a useful technique for the disinfection and stimulation of radicle growth. The technique is scalable to large systems due to the short treatment times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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20 pages, 3089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Temperature Plasma-Assisted Nitrogen Fixation for Corn Plant Growth and Development

by Pradeep Lamichhane, Mayura Veerana, Jun Sup Lim, Sohail Mumtaz, Bhanu Shrestha, Nagendra Kumar Kaushik, Gyungsoon Park and Eun Ha Choi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(10), 5360; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22105360 - 19 May 2021

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 6443

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation is crucial for plants as it is utilized for the biosynthesis of almost all biomolecules. Most of our atmosphere consists of nitrogen, but plants cannot straightforwardly assimilate this from the air, and natural nitrogen fixation is inadequate to meet the extreme necessities of global nutrition. In this study, nitrogen fixation in water was achieved by an AC-driven non-thermal atmospheric pressure nitrogen plasma jet. In addition, Mg, Al, or Zn was immersed in the water, which neutralized the plasma-treated water and increased the rate of nitrogen reduction to ammonia due to the additional hydrogen generated by the reaction between the plasma-generated acid and metal. The effect of the plasma-activated water, with and without metal ions, on germination and growth in corn plants (Zea Mays) was investigated. The germination rate was found to be higher with plasma-treated water and more efficient in the presence of metal ions. Stem lengths and germination rates were significantly increased with respect to those produced by DI water irrigation. The plants responded to the abundance of nitrogen by producing intensely green leaves because of their increased chlorophyll and protein contents. Based on this report, non-thermal plasma reactors could be used to substantially enhance seed germination and seedling growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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16 pages, 3585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma on Germination Parameters, Enzyme Activities and Induction of DNA Damage in Barley

by Mária Peťková, Renáta Švubová, Stanislav Kyzek, Veronika Medvecká, Ľudmila Slováková, Andrea Ševčovičová and Eliška Gálová

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(6), 2833; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22062833 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3197

Abstract

Climate change, environmental pollution and pathogen resistance to available chemical agents are part of the problems that the food industry has to face in order to ensure healthy food for people and livestock. One of the promising solutions to these problems is the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP). Plasma is suitable for efficient surface decontamination of seeds and food products, germination enhancement and obtaining higher yields in agricultural production. However, the plasma effects vary due to plasma source, treatment conditions and seed type. In our study, we tried to find the proper conditions for treatment of barley grains by diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge, in which positive effects of CAPP, such as enhanced germination or decontamination effects, would be maximized and harmful effects, such as oxidation and genotoxic potential, minimized. Besides germination parameters, we evaluated DNA damage and activities of various germination and antioxidant enzymes in barley seedlings. Plasma exposure resulted in changes in germination parameters and enzyme activities. Longer exposures had also genotoxic effects. As such, our findings indicate that appropriate plasma exposure conditions need to be carefully optimized in order to preserve germination, oxidation balance and genome stability, should CAPP be used in agricultural practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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Review

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28 pages, 2447 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Advancements in the Molecular Mechanism of Plasma Treatment for Seed Germination and Plant Growth

by Ryza A. Priatama, Aditya N. Pervitasari, Seungil Park, Soon Ju Park and Young Koung Lee

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4609; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23094609 - 21 Apr 2022

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5059

Abstract

Low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma has been used in various fields such as plasma medicine, agriculture, food safety and storage, and food manufacturing. In the field of plasma agriculture, plasma treatment improves seed germination, plant growth, and resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, allows pesticide removal, and enhances biomass and yield. Currently, the complex molecular mechanisms of plasma treatment in plasma agriculture are fully unexplored, especially those related to seed germination and plant growth. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the current progress in the application of the plasma treatment technique in plants, including plasma treatment methods, physical and chemical effects, and the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of low-temperature plasma treatment. Additionally, we have discussed the interactions between plasma and seed germination that occur through seed coat modification, reactive species, seed sterilization, heat, and UV radiation in correlation with molecular phenomena, including transcriptional and epigenetic regulation. This review aims to present the mechanisms underlying the effects of plasma treatment and to discuss the potential applications of plasma as a powerful tool, priming agent, elicitor or inducer, and disinfectant in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma-Activated Seed Germination)

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