No abstract

No abstract

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CP) can play an important role in agriculture, medicine, chemistry, and biophysical applications. Generated by cold atmospheric pressure He-plasma jet (CPJ), reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), UV-Vis photons, and highfrequency strong electromagnetic fields with amplitudes of a few kV can interact with Phaseolus vulgaris seeds and plants. Here we show that CPJ accelerates seed imbibition, germination, and radicle growing rates. CPJ induces roughness, corrugation, and poration in Phaseolus vulgaris seed coats. It produces hydrophilization of seed coats and improves the wetting properties of seed surfaces. Magnetic resonance imaging studies show the acceleration of water uptake in P. vulgaris seeds so treated. Understanding the mechanisms of cold plasma interactions with seeds and plants should promote plasma-based technology for plant development control, increased yields and growth rates, and plant protection from pathogens. Our work offers new insight into mechanisms that trigger water transport and absorbance, seed germination, and activation of metabolism by cold plasmas.

Radio frequency capacitors can be used to accelerate seed imbibition, germination, increase the growth of plants seedlings, poration and corrugation of the bio-tissue surfaces without the side effects of RONS generated by cold plasma jets. Atomic force microscope data show that the plasma lamp produced morphological changes in the seed coat. Magnetic resonance imaging studies showed the acceleration of water uptake in seeds treated with radio frequency capacitors of plasma lamps. Plasma capacitor can accelerate radicle growing rates.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) is widely used in medicine for the treatment of diseases and disinfection of bio-tissues due to its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. In agriculture, CAPP accelerates the imbibition and germination of seeds and significantly increases plant productivity. Plasma is also used to fix molecular nitrogen. CAPP can produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Plasma treatment of bio-tissue can lead to numerous side effects such as lipid peroxidation, genotoxic problems, and DNA damage. The mechanisms of occurring side effects when treating various organisms with cold plasma are unknown since RONS, UV-Vis light, and multicomponent biological tissues are simultaneously involved in a heterogeneous environment. Here, we found that CAPP can induce in vitro oxidation of the most common water-soluble redox compounds in living cells such as NADH, NADPH, and vitamin C at interfaces between air, CAPP, and water. CAPP is not capable of reducing NAD+ and 1,4-benzoquinone, despite the presence of free electrons in CAPP. Prolonged plasma treatment of aqueous solutions of vitamin C, 1,4-hydroquinone, and 1,4-benzoquinone respectively, leads to their decomposition. Studies of the mechanisms in plasma-induced processes can help to prevent side effects in medicine, agriculture, and food disinfection.