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Effect of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma on the Wheat Seedlings Vigor and on the Inactivation of Microorganisms on the Seeds Surface

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Abstract

Effects of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) treatment on the germination, production of biomass, vigor of seedlings, uptake of water of wheat seeds (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Eva) were investigated. The CAPP treatment influence on the inactivation of microorganisms occurring on the surface of wheat seeds was investigated also. The so-called Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge generating a cold plasma in ambient air with high power volume density of some 100 W/cm3 was used for the treatment of seeds at exposure times in the range of 10–600 s. The optical emission spectroscopy and the electrical measurements were used for estimation of CAPP parameters. The obtained results indicate that the germination rate, dry weight and vigor of seedlings significantly increased for plasma treatment from 20 to 50 s. The plasma treatment of seeds led to an extensive increase in wettability and faster germination comparing with the untreated seeds. The growth inhibition effect of CAPP on the surface microflora of wheat seeds increased with the increase of the treatment time. The efficiency of the treatment of wheat seeds artificially contaminated with pure cultures of filamentous fungi decreased in the following order: Fusarium nivale > F. culmorum > Trichothecium roseum > Aspergillus flavus > A. clavatus.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Slovak Grant Agency for Science VEGA No. 1/0904/14. We wish to thank the Sedos, Krakovany in Slovakia for the samples of seeds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina F2, 842 48, Bratislava, Slovakia

    A. Zahoranová, D. Kováčik, V. Medvecká & M. Černák

  2. Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-2, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia

    M. Henselová

  3. Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37, Bratislava, Slovakia

    D. Hudecová & B. Kaliňáková

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  1. A. Zahoranová
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Zahoranová, A., Henselová, M., Hudecová, D. et al. Effect of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma on the Wheat Seedlings Vigor and on the Inactivation of Microorganisms on the Seeds Surface. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 36, 397–414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-015-9684-z

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