Helium Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Effects on Two Cultivars of Triticum aestivum L

• Published in: Foods 2023-01, Vol.12 (1), p.208
• Main Authors: Burducea, Ion, Burducea, Cristina, Mereuta, Paul-Emil, Sirbu, Stefan-Robert, Iancu, Decebal-Alexandru, Istrati, Melania-Beatrice, Straticiuc, Mihai, Lungoci, Constantin, Stoleru, Vasile, Teliban, Gabriel-Ciprian, Robu, Teodor, Burducea, Marian, Nastuta, Andrei Vasile
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Atmospheric pressure; atmospheric-pressure plasma; Atomic force microscopy; biochemical analyses; Biochemical analysis; Biochemical composition; Chlorophyll; Cold; Cold plasmas; Cold treatment; Computed tomography; Cultivars; Electrodes; Energy value; Flavonoids; Food science; Food security; Gases; Germination; Grasses; Helium; Metabolism; Microscopy; Morphology; Nutrient content; Nutritive value; Plant growth; Plasma; plasma agriculture; Plasma jets; Power supply; Pressure effects; Proteins; Scanning electron microscopy; seed morphology; Seeds; Sustainable agriculture; Triticum aestivum; Wheat; X-ray spectroscopy
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods12010208

The use of cold plasma in the treatment of seeds before sowing presents a promising technique for sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of cold plasma treatment on the morphology of wheat seeds ( L. 'Dacic' and 'Otilia'), their germination, biochemical composition, and the nutritional quality of wheat grass. Wheat seeds were morphologically and elementally characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray computer tomography (CT), and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Helium was used as a working gas for plasma generation and the analysis of the species produced showed the presence of NO , OH, N and N and O. Evaluation of germination and plant growth for 10 days (wheat grass stage) highlighted a specific trend for each cultivar. The biochemical analysis of wheat grass highlighted an increase in the chlorophyll content in the plasma-treated variants, an increase in the flavonoid and polyphenol content in 'Dacic'-treated variant, while the soluble protein content, antioxidant activity, and color were not affected. The analysis of the nutritional quality of wheat grass by the FT-NIR analytical technique highlighted an increase in the ash content in the plasma-treated wheat cultivars, while the humidity, proteins, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and energy values were not affected.