Responses of Rice Seed Quality to Large-Scale Atmospheric Nonthermal Plasmas

Abstract Atmospheric nonthermal plasma (ANTP) is used for various biological applications including seed quality improvements in crop production. However, the underlying mechanisms of plasma-induced action are not fully explained and operating large-scale ANTP on seeds highly challenging. Two ANTPs, streamer corona (SCP) dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, were to enhance rice vigor through surface modification functionalization. The SCP DBD conducted under same power source applied modify their from being hydrophobic hydrophilic, as defined by apparent contact angle measurement. results show that requires less treatment time (~ 2 min) activation than process 10 min). Both plasma-treated showed higher non-treated seeds. For 50% viable emerge, SCP-treated took average about 62 h., while untreated around 72 h. germination percentage all conditions ~ 92% which a typical proportion good quality. microstructure suggests bombardment energetic ions reaction reactive oxygen nitrogen species cause morphological changes via etching functionalization without any adverse effects nutrition. Graphical abstract