Abstract
The influence of atmospheric plasma discharge (APD) of the Gliding Arc type and low-pressure microwave plasma discharge (LPMD) on the class of various seeds was investigated. Pea, wheat, and sunflower seeds, representing legumes, cereals, and oilseeds, respectively, were selected for the treatment. Our study aimed to verify the effect of plasma treatment on the water contact angle and the wettability of the seeds. Treatment time, working gas flow and microwave power were varied to determine their impact. All treated and untreated variants were used to conduct the water contact angle measurements to compare their wettability. APD treatment seemed to be utterly ineffective for improving the wettability for most process parameters. On the contrary, LPMD manifested a much more efficient impact. The maximum effect was found for the 800 W microwave power applied to the pea seed for 30 s. The contact angle achieved decreased by approximately 50% compared to the untreated sample. These results indicate that LPMD may be an effective alternative to traditional pre-sowing seed treatments used in agriculture for water intake enhancement. Still, it is strongly dependent on the seed’s type and the used process parameters.
Highlights
Climate change has a significant impact on the overall productivity of food
It could be stated that concerning the relatively high carrier gas temperature [22] used in the treatment, the atmospheric plasma discharge (APD) treatment is utterly unsuitable for seed surface wettability improvement in general
The novelty of this study is based on the comparison of the effect of two types of plasma discharges on seeds and demonstrates their necessity to optimize the process parameters for each type of seed separately
Summary
Climate change has a significant impact on the overall productivity of food. Differences are mainly represented by a lack of water. Water is vital for plant growth, development, and productivity. Water stress causes limitations for plant growth and performance of cultivated crops more than any other environmental factor [2]. The water absorption of seeds is crucial for the initiation of swelling and germination. Water intake plays a decisive role in seed emergence [3]. Greater water intake is crucial in stressful conditions, such as drought or high temperature [4]. Stressful situations require some support for plant growth through proper treatment, such as chemical, biological, or physical treatment. Recent physical procedures involve the use of low-temperature plasma discharge. This technology has recently found application in plant biology and agriculture [5]
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