Response of perennial woody plants to seed treatment by electromagnetic field and low‐temperature plasma

Abstract

Radiofrequency (5.28 MHz) electromagnetic radiation and low-temperature plasma were applied as short-term (2-15 min) seed treatments to two perennial woody plant species, including Smirnov's rhododendron (Rhododendron smirnowii Trautv.) and black mulberry (Morus nigra L.). Potential effects were evaluated using germination indices and morphometry. The results suggest that treatment with electromagnetic field stimulated germination of freshly harvested R. smirnowii seeds (increased germination percentage up to 70%), but reduced germination of fresh M. nigra seeds (by 24%). Treatment with low-temperature plasma negatively affected germination for R. smirnowii, and positively for M. nigra. The treatment-induced changes in germination depended on seed dormancy state. Longer-term observations revealed that the effects persisted for more than a year; however, even negative effects on germination came out as positive effects on plant morphometric traits over time. Treatments characterized as distressful based on changes in germination and seedling length increased growth of R. smirnowii after 13 months. Specific changes included stem and root branching, as well as increased leaf count and surface area. These findings imply that longer-term patterns of response to seed stressors may be complex, and therefore, commonly used stressor-effects estimates, such as germination rate or seedling morphology, may be insufficient for qualifying stress response. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:536-548, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of low temperature plasmas and plasma activated waters on Arabidopsis thaliana germination and growth

“…This needs to be further analysed to better understand the mechanisms of germination stimulation induced by low temperature plasmas. Independently of these structural changes, we cannot exclude the formation of new functional groups which could stimulate the seed germination [ 37 ].…”

Treatment of Common Sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) Seeds with Radio-frequency Electromagnetic Field and Cold Plasma Induces Changes in Seed Phytohormone Balance, Seedling Development and Leaf Protein Expression

“…Seed treatments were carried out at the B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, NAS of Belarus (Minsk, Belarus). The equipment and conditions used for seed treatment have been described earlier in more detail 19 .…”

“…Stressor-induced changes in physiological or biochemical activities are associated with selective modulation of protein expression in the growing seedling, e.g., activation of photosynthesis is expected to be related to changes in the leaf proteome 13,14 . Although several studies described morphological, genotoxic or biochemical changes induced by the CP and EMF treatments 14–19 , the proteomic profiles of plant response to CP and EMF treatments have not been reported so far.…”

The Potential of Cold Plasma for Safe and Sustainable Food Production

“…Stimulatory effects of plasma treatment on germination and seedling growth characteristics of soybean and wheat vary with different CP treatment power levels [15,16]. Another important parameter that needs to be considered is the type of seed, since different seeds may respond differently to plasma treatment [17][18][19]. Moreover, differences in response to plasma treatment may occur among different cultivars within one plant taxon [11].…”