Plasma activated-water stimulates aged pepper seeds and promotes seedling growth

This study conducted an activation experiment on tap water using a self-designed dielectric barrier discharge plasma field. Aged pepper seeds and seedlings were chosen as the investigation's subjects to assess plasma-activated water (PAW's) effects on aged seed germination, seedling growth, and their respective qualities. PAW cultivation led to notable improvements in pepper seeds' germination potential and rate, with increases of 18.0% and 28.3%, respectively. Moreover, the vitality index exhibited a remarkable rise of 250.0%. Concurrently, seedlings treated with PAW exhibited significant growth enhancements, with root length, root number, stem length, and leaf area increasing by 138.6%, 69.2%, 47.9%, and 28.4 cm(2), respectively. Additionally, PAW treatment induces changes in endogenous substances and enzyme activities in seeds and seedlings. Plasma-activated water was used to treat aged pepper seeds and seedlings. It was found that plasma-activated water could stimulate aged seed germination, promote seedling growth, and improve seed and seedling quality.image