Influence of Plasma Treatment on Wheat and Oat Germination and Early Growth

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show and discuss the influence of cold plasma treatment on a germination enhancement of wheat and oat caryopses in wider context. Wheat and oat corns have been stimulated by cold plasma discharge under power of 500 W, air gas flow of 200 ml/min for different time durations (from 0 to 2400 s). Wheat seed coat showed an eroded surface after plasma treatment. Plasma treatment inhibited the germinating acceleration of wheat in first days but enhancement of footstalk was observed on plants grown from seeds treated for medium time. On the other hand, plasma treatment did not affect germination of oat seeds, but accelerated the rootlet generation at plants grown from treated seeds. The different content of phenolic compounds between control sprouts and sprouts from treated seedlings was discovered. The different contents illustrated changes in metabolism processes in both tested species. These phenomena indicate penetration of active species from plasma through the porous seed coat inside the seed where they react with seed cells.