Insecticidal Effects of Plasma Treated Water

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Mealybug infestations pose a significant threat to plant health and agricultural productivity.
• Conventional pesticides can have detrimental environmental impacts and lead to resistance.
• There is a need for sustainable and eco-friendly pest control methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of plasma-treated tap water (PTW) as a pest control agent against the citrus mealybug (Planococcus citri).
• To compare the effectiveness of PTW with classically acidified water.
• To assess the potential of PTW as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional pesticides.

Main Methods:

• Tap water was treated using dielectric barrier discharge for varying durations (1-10 minutes), resulting in significant acidification (pH 1.8 after 10 min).
• Mealybugs on Nerium oleander were transferred to Petri dishes and treated with PTW.
• The mortality rates of mealybugs treated with PTW were compared to those treated with nitric acid and hydrochloric acid- acidified water.

Main Results:

• PTW treatment resulted in high mealybug mortality rates of approximately 90% within 24 hours.
• The acidification of tap water through plasma treatment was confirmed as the primary mechanism for efficacy.
• PTW demonstrated comparable or superior efficacy to classically acidified water.

Conclusions:

• Plasma-treated tap water is a highly effective agent for controlling mealybug infestations under laboratory conditions.
• PTW presents a promising, environmentally friendly alternative or supplement to conventional pesticides for small-scale farmers and greenhouse operations.
• Further research into large-scale application and field trials is warranted.