Abstract
ABSTRACT Low-pressure argon plasma at a controlled temperature of 40 ºC was used to overcome seed dormancy in Desmanthus virgatus (L.) Willd. Treatment times were 1, 3, and 5 minutes. Infrared analysis confirmed the presence of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates without the formation of new functional groups. The low-pressure controlled environment and the inert gas plasma changed the intensity of polar and nonpolar groups present on the seed surface. These changes directly influenced the water absorption tests because all treated seeds germinated after 24, 36, and 312 hours in the treatments of one, three, and five minutes, respectively. Germination did not occur among untreated seeds, proving the effectiveness of plasma in overcoming dormancy. The pH and conductivity results showed that plasma treatment resulted in faster germination and lower nutrient release to the medium. In addition, the seeds treated for one and three minutes showed superior results for the germination potential, germination rate, and germination index, demonstrating the effectiveness of low-pressure plasma as a clean technique and an alternative tool for reducing environmental impacts in the surface modification of D. virgatus L. Willd seeds.
Highlights
Plasma technology is widely used to modify the properties of metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials, encompassing research lines that include the production of biomaterials, the degradation of organic pollutants, and photovoltaic materials (Braz et al, 2012; Braz et al, 2019; Kan et al, 2020)
The pH and conductivity results showed that plasma treatment resulted in faster germination and lower nutrient release to the medium
Desmanthus virgatus is a perennial leguminous species with high adaptability to different climatic and soil conditions and important features that favor its use in agriculture
Summary
Plasma technology is widely used to modify the properties of metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials, encompassing research lines that include the production of biomaterials, the degradation of organic pollutants, and photovoltaic materials (Braz et al, 2012; Braz et al, 2019; Kan et al, 2020). This technique has shown favorable applications in important research carried out in agriculture, such as decontamination and modification of food surfaces, deterioration of microorganisms, treatments to overcome seed dormancy, and the consequent improvement of germination (Bormashenko et al, 2015; Randeniya et al, 2015; Misra et al, 2016; Šerá and Šerý, 2018). Depending on seed viability, this parameter can increase germination and help overcome dormancy (Bewley, 2013; Salla et al, 2016; Simões et al, 2016; Jiang et al, 2018; Misra and Schlüter, 2019), highlighting the importance of dormancy-breaking techniques that promote water absorption
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