Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Treatment on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Scutellaria baicalensis

Abstract

To explore the effects of pulsed electric field treatment on the germination of Scutellaria baicalensis seeds and the growth of seedlings, this study used the response surface methodology to design the working parameters of the pulsed electric field and treated and cultured Scutellaria baicalensis seeds. The results showed that the pulsed electric field treatment was beneficial for the germination of Scutellaria baicalensis seeds, improving the metabolic activity and stress resistance of seedlings. When the pulsed electric field treatment’s parameters were 0.5 kV·cm−1, 120 μs, and 99 pulses, the germination potential of seeds was significantly increased by 29.25% and the germination index significantly increased by 20.65%, compared to the control. From 5th to 15th day, the activities of SOD, POD, and α-amylase in the seedlings, and the contents of Pro, soluble sugars, and soluble proteins were significantly increased, compared to the control. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the germination and seedling growth of medicinal herbs such as Scutellaria baicalensis and their practical application in production.

Study on the effect of different high-voltage electric field polarization process parameters on the vitality of dried chili pepper seeds

“…Seedlings were washed on day 14 of the germination test. Measurement data according to seed testing standards 25 . Measurement of all seedlings.…”

“…Increase seed enzyme activity 22 – 24 . Improvement of seed resistance 25 , 26 . Altered seed endophytic bacterial communities 27 .…”

Effect of Germination on Seed Protein Quality and Secondary Metabolites and Potential Modulation by Pulsed Electric Field Treatment

“…A similar pattern was observed regarding the leaf area, in which seeds stimulated with PEF at 10 kV/cm showed a greater increase in their leaf area at day 14 in comparison to untreated and all other PEF-treated seeds. Using a response surface methodology, Song et al [ 97 ] selected three different PEF treatments to evaluate the effects on the germination potential of Scutellaria baicalensis . The germination percentage, rate, and index were the greatest compared to untreated seeds when treated with 99 pulses at a pulse intensity of 0.5 kV/cm and a pulse width of 120 µs.…”

“…Those that have done so, however, have observed favorable results. PEF treatment (0.5 kV/cm, 120 µs pulse width, and 99 pulses), selected to optimize germination, was found to nearly double the soluble sugar content and increase α-amylase activity by ~40% compared to untreated Scutellaria baicalensis seeds on days 10 and 15 [ 97 ]. The soluble protein content also increased compared to that of the control by 77, 69, and 41% on days 5, 10, and 15, respectively.…”

“…Environmental stresses trigger a metabolic adaptation in plants that leads to the accumulation of specific amino acids and secondary metabolites from amino acid metabolism. Highly abundant amino acids like proline, arginine, asparagine, glutamine, and γ-aminobutyric acid are synthesized to combat osmotic stress, and one study did report a 2-fold increase in the proline content of Scutellaria baicalensis seeds 10 days following a PEF treatment selected to optimize germination [ 97 ]. Non-abundant amino acids are accumulated due to the increased protein turnover and are degraded [ 108 ], and non-protein amino acids are also produced as secondary metabolites [ 109 ].…”