The extensive use of chemical fertilizers to increase crop yields in agricultural fields has had a negative impact on the environment. To produce more food on less land and fulfill the growing global demand for food, farmers will need innovative and environmentally friendly technology. Several studies have cited the positive effects of plasma-activated water (PAW) on seeds in their research findings. This study investigates the effects of PAW on four distinct seed species: phapar (Fagopyrum esculentum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), mustard (Brassica nigra), and rayo (Brassica juncea). Deionized (DI) water was treated for 5 or 10 min using the gliding arc discharge (GAD) system, which was operated by line frequency in the air. Water analysis indicates that the physiochemical parameters (electrical conductivity, pH, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia concentration) of PAW were significantly different from DI water. Despite exposure to GAD for a certain period of time, the temperature of DI water did not alter significantly. All calculated germination parameters were significantly enhanced for seeds treated with PAW compared to the control. In addition, they displayed a significant increase in total seedling length and exhibited greater vigor. Seeds immersed in PAW absorbed significantly more water than seeds soaked in DI water, enabling rapid water penetration into the seed and early seedling emergence. This puts plasma agriculture ahead of conventional farming methods.

There have been continual attempts to identify alternatives to increase the agricultural output to improve the living standards of farmers, meet the current demand, and promote sustainability in commercial agriculture. Within this paradigm, low-temperature plasma (LTP) treatments have piqued the attention of investigators and are presently being extensively researched in the agriculture sector. A preliminary study was conducted on mustard seeds (Brassica nigra) to examine the potential of LTP in agriculture to enhance germination and productivity. The seeds were subjected to LTP treatment for 1 to 4 min in an argon environment (11.7 kV, 50 Hz, and Q = 3 L/min) at atmospheric pressure. The germination and growth parameters of the untreated and treated seeds were calculated on the 16th day of the seeds’ germination and compared. All germination and growth-related parameters were found to be improved in LTP-exposed seeds up to 3 min. However, the germination and growth-related parameters deteriorated in 4-min LTP-treated seeds compared to those of control and other treatment time seeds. The water contact angle and scanning electron micrograph images clearly indicated that there is a significant change in the seed coat after being exposed to LTP for a specific time period. The treated seed’s texture was significantly rougher than that of the control, which is directly related to the hydrophilicity of seeds. The findings of this study suggest that using seeds exposed to LTP for a suitable time results in a considerable increase in the germination percentage of sown seeds while also hastening seedling growth and development.

Cold plasma is an innovative and promising technology that is developing in a variety of fields, and recently it has been getting a lot of attention in the agricultural industry. The influence of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) exposure on germination parameters and vigor of radish (Raphanus sativus) and carrot (Daucus carota sativus L.) seeds was investigated in the present study. A custom-designed plasma driver utilizing 11.32kV rms and 50Hz was used for the generation of the discharge. Seeds were treated using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in an argon atmosphere at exposure periods of 14minutes. The estimate of plasma parameters was done using optical emission spectroscopy and electrical measurements. Germination-related measures such as the final germination percentage, germination index, germination value, coefficient of velocity of germination, vigor index, and chlorophyll content were all improved in the case of CAPP-treated seeds as compared to control seeds. Similarly, CAPP treatment changed the in vitro radical scavenging capabilities, total phenolic, and total flavonoid levels of the seedlings. Our results indicated that the seeds being treated by CAPP for 3minutes seemed to have a favorable impact on seed germination and sprouting development.