Effect of Low Temperature Plasma Treatment on Biological Characteristics and Yield Components of Wheat Seeds (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The impacts of a low temperature plasma treatment on wheat seed germination and field growth were investigated using a plasma system about the first generation (T0), the second generation (T1) and the third generation (T2). Untreated wheat seeds were set as the control (CK). Plasma treatments of 80 W and 100 W were employed during the experiments. Germination characteristics, seedling growth parameters, biological characters and yield components were measured following the plasma treatments. The wheat seed germination index, plant height, tiller, growth and grain number obviously changed significantly after the low-temperature plasma treatment. Furthermore, the moderate-intensity plasma had an active impact on wheat seed germination and growth. The results showed that the theoretical yield of T0 significantly increased by 8.92% and 8.14%, while the actual yield increased by 8.12% and 6.10% compared with untreated. The theoretical yield of T1 increased by 5.69% and 6.62%, while it increased by 3.70% and 0.45% for T2. The actual yield of T1 increased by 5.75% and 4.94%, while it increased by 3.81% and 0.82% for T2. Plasma treatment exhibited the following trend of increasing: T0 > T1 > T2 > CK. We conclude that the effects of low-temperature plasma on the biological characteristics and yield components of wheat seeds exhibited a consistent trend from T0 to T1 to T2.