Biochemical and Physiological Plant Processes Affected by Seed Treatment with Non-Thermal Plasma

Abstract

Among the innovative technologies being elaborated for sustainable agriculture, one of the most rapidly developing fields relies on the positive effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment on the agronomic performance of plants. A large number of recent publications have indicated that NTP effects are far more persistent and complex than it was supposed before. Knowledge of the molecular basis and the resulting outcomes of seed treatment with NTP is rapidly accumulating and requires to be analyzed and presented in a systematic way. This review focuses on the biochemical and physiological processes in seeds and plants affected by seed treatment with NTP and the resulting impact on plant metabolism, growth, adaptability and productivity. Wide-scale changes evolving at the epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolic levels are triggered by seed irradiation with NTP and contribute to changes in germination, early seedling growth, phytohormone amounts, metabolic and defense enzyme activity, secondary metabolism, photosynthesis, adaptability to biotic and abiotic stress, microbiome composition, and increased plant fitness, productivity and growth on a longer time scale. This review highlights the importance of these novel findings, as well as unresolved issues that remain to be investigated.

Enhancement of the Plant Grafting Technique with Dielectric Barrier Discharge Cold Atmospheric Plasma and Plasma-Treated Solution

“…The influence of plasma treatment on DNA damage, gene expression, enzymatic activity, morphological and chemical changes, germination, and resistance to stress is under research [ 48 , 49 , 50 ]. Many papers have reported promising results in this wide variety of applications [ 51 , 52 ].…”

Changes in Content of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity Induced in Needles of Different Half-Sib Families of Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) by Seed Treatment with Cold Plasma

“…It has been demonstrated that seed treatments with CP may have significant positive effects on germination, plant biochemical processes, photosynthesis [ 26 , 27 ], and biomass growth [ 27 , 28 ] and could increase harvest yields of numerous plant species. However, although certain important molecular details have recently been revealed, the detailed mechanisms of these effects have not yet been elucidated [ 21 , 22 , 29 ]. Moreover, pre-sowing seed treatment with physical stressors induces changes in the germination and plant growth, further increasing the concentration of biologically active compounds.…”

Comparison of the Effect of Plasma-Activated Water and Artificially Prepared Plasma-Activated Water on Wheat Grain Properties

“…Many studies have been devoted to the effects of direct plasma application on germination and other properties of seeds, including wheat; the germination of Penicillium spores may be also affected [ 8 ]. References [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ] are several recent works in this area.…”