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

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.

Can Cold Plasma Be Used for Boosting Plant Growth and Plant Protection in Sustainable Plant Production?

“…However, the studies show that, as for fungi, successful elimination of bacteria can be achieved with the use of generated RONS, which probably led to the damage and dysfunction of DNA, proteins and ribosomes, as observed with mung bean seeds artificially inoculated with Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp. [132]. There are groups of bacteria transmitted with seeds that are of significant importance in agriculture that show sensitivity to plasma.…”

Simultaneous Treatment of Both Sides of the Polymer with a Conical-Shaped Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet

“…It is worth mentioning that this process can be carried out continuously in a line of production or individually [ 13 , 14 ]. Among the NTAPP devices, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is the most widely used [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. A significant advantage of DBD over other devices that generate electrical discharges is the higher electron density induced by micro-discharges caused by a large number of tiny current filaments that pass through the dielectric material covering one or both electrodes [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Synthesis, antibacterial and antifungal activity of myricetin derivatives containing piperidine and amide fragments

“…Plant bacterial and fungal diseases have caused the decline of quality and quantity of agricultural products, which have done great harm to the production of crops and caused huge economic losses. [1][2][3] For decades, mainly synthetic pesticides have been used to prevent and treat these plant diseases. However, the long-term use of synthetic chemical agents not only leads to the resistance of harmful organisms, but also to a certain degree harms the environment as a consequence of their high toxicity and residues.…”

“…Plant bacterial and fungal diseases have caused the decline of quality and quantity of agricultural products, which have done great harm to the production of crops and caused huge economic losses 1–3 . For decades, mainly synthetic pesticides have been used to prevent and treat these plant diseases.…”