Growth Stimulation of Durum Wheat and Common Buckwheat by Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

• Published in: Plants (Basel) 2023-12, Vol.12 (24), p.4172
• Main Authors: Tunklová, Barbora, Šerá, Božena, Šrámková, Petra, Ďurčányová, Sandra, Šerý, Michal, Kováčik, Dušan, Zahoranová, Anna, Hnilička, František
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Atmospheric pressure; Buckwheat; Chemical bonds; Chemical composition; Contact angle; Dietary fiber; Dry matter; Durum wheat; Environmental aspects; Fagopyrum esculentum; Fourier transforms; Germination; Grain; Growth; High temperature plasmas; Infrared spectroscopy; Lipids; low-temperature plasma; Multivariate analysis; Parameters; Pasta; Plasma (Ionized gases); plasma treatment; seed; seedling; Seeds; Statistical analysis; Surface analysis (chemical); Surface energy; Surface properties; Thermal plasmas; Triticum durum; Wettability; Wheat
• ISSN: 2223-7747; 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants12244172

The grains of durum wheat ( Desf.) and achenes of common buckwheat ( Moench) were tested after treatment with two sources of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (DCSBD, MSDBD) with different treatment times (0, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 s). The effect of these treatments was monitored with regard to the seed surface diagnostics (water contact angle-WCA, chemical changes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-FTIR); twenty parameters associated with germination and initial seed growth were monitored. A study of the wettability confirmed a decrease in WCA values indicating an increase in surface energy and hydrophilicity depending on the type of seed, plasma source, and treatment time. Surface analysis by attenuated total reflectance FTIR (ATR-FTIR) showed no obvious changes in the chemical bonds on the surface of the plasma-treated seeds, which confirms the non-destructive effect of the plasma on the chemical composition of the seed shell. A multivariate analysis of the data showed many positive trends (not statistically significant) in germination and initial growth parameters. The repeated results for germination rate and root/shoot dry matter ratio indicate the tendency of plants to invest in underground organs. Durum wheat required longer treatment times with non-thermal plasma (10 s, 20 s) for germination and early growth, whereas buckwheat required shorter times (5 s, 10 s). The responses of durum wheat grains to the two non-thermal plasma sources used were equal. In contrast, the responses of buckwheat achenes were more favorable to MSDBD treatment than to DCSBD.