Optimizing Tomato Seed Performance Through Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Effects on Germination Rates and Early Biomass...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plasma Physics
• Plant Physiology

Background:

• Sustainable agriculture requires non-chemical technologies to meet rising food demand and address resource degradation.
• Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel, non-disruptive seed-priming technique with potential for agricultural applications.
• Understanding CAP's impact on seed germination and early seedling development is crucial for its practical implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)-generated CAP on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seed germination and early seedling development.
• To determine the optimal CAP exposure duration for enhancing early plant performance in different tomato genotypes.
• To evaluate the influence of CAP treatment duration versus genotype on biomass accumulation.

Main Methods:

• Tomato seeds of two genotypes were exposed to DBD-generated CAP for varying durations (1, 2, 3, or 4 min).
• Untreated seeds served as controls.
• Germination rate, fresh biomass, dry biomass, and mineral biomass were assessed after 47 days.

Main Results:

• CAP exposure duration significantly impacted all measured gravimetric parameters in both tomato genotypes.
• A 1-minute CAP exposure consistently yielded the highest fresh, dry, and mineral biomass.
• Exposure times of 3-4 minutes generally reduced seedling growth, indicating a transition from stimulation to stress.

Conclusions:

• Short-duration CAP treatment (1 min) is an effective seed-priming strategy for improving early tomato seedling development and biomass.
• Treatment duration is the primary factor influencing biomass accumulation, overriding genotypic differences.
• CAP offers a promising non-chemical approach to enhance crop establishment in sustainable agriculture.