Enhancement of wheat yield by atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

Abstract

The use of plasma treatment in agriculture has shown promising results in improving seed germination and crop production. In this work, we have investigated the effects of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on wheat seed germination and production qualities. Dielectric barrier discharge and plasma-activated water (PAW) made by gliding discharge plasma have been used for the treatment. Our results show that plasma-treated wheat seeds have better germination rates and higher production qualities. Among the various treatment times tested, 3 min of direct plasma treatment yields the highest germination rates, and 15 min of PAW produces the best results. Furthermore, the wettability and contact angle of the seeds decreases significantly with increasing treatment time. Our findings suggest that the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment can enhance the germination rate of wheat seeds and their production, which has potential applications in agriculture.