Non-thermal plasmas (NTP) are partially ionized gases that represent a promising technology for seed treatment to enhance seed health while promoting germination and vigor in a fast, cost-effective, and eco-friendly way. The seed treatment with NTP generates phenotypic variations in plants that could be related to changes in DNA methylation. This work analyses the effects of two different NTP: nitrogen for 3 min (PMN3) and oxygen for 2 min (PMO2) applied to soybean (Glycine max) seeds. Growth parameters of plants grown from treated and untreated seeds were evaluated at two growth stages: 6 and 20 days after sowing (DAS). MSAP (Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism) markers were assayed to evaluate epigenetic changes induced by NTP treatments. Plants obtained from PMN3 and PMO2-treated seeds were phenotypically similar to each other: exhibited a superior growth at both stages. At 6 DAS root and shoot length and fresh weight surpassed the Control, while at 20 DAS root length and fresh and dry weight were higher than Control. PMN3 and PMO2 induced DNA methylation changes with respect to the Control plants, with higher differentiation at 20 DAS than at 6 DAS. The epigenetic variability and the phenotypic variability correlated only at 20 DAS (R² = 0.5). The observed phenotypic differences among Control and NTP-treated plants could not be explained by overall changes in the methylation levels, but both demethylation and methylation changes at specific loci appear to be operating in response to NTP treatments.

非热等离子体 (NTP) 是部分电离的气体，是一种很有前景的种子处理技术，可提高种子健康，同时以快速、经济高效且环保的方式促进发芽和活力。用 NTP 处理种子会在植物中产生表型变异，这可能与 DNA 甲基化的变化有关。这项工作分析了两种不同 NTP 的影响：氮 3 分钟 (PMN3) 和氧 2 分钟 (PMO2) 应用于大豆 ( Glycine max) 种子。在两个生长阶段评估由处理和未处理种子生长的植物的生长参数：播种后 6 天和 20 天 (DAS)。分析 MSAP（甲基化敏感扩增多态性）标记以评估 NTP 处理诱导的表观遗传变化。从 PMN3 和 PMO2 处理的种子获得的植物在表型上彼此相似：在两个阶段都表现出优异的生长。在 6 DAS 根长和鲜重和鲜重超过对照，而在 20 DAS 根长和鲜重和干重高于对照。PMN3 和 PMO2 相对于对照植物诱导 DNA 甲基化变化，在 20 DAS 时的分化比在 6 DAS 时更高。表观遗传变异性和表型变异性仅在 20 DAS ( R ² = 0.5）。在对照和 NTP 处理的植物之间观察到的表型差异不能用甲基化水平的整体变化来解释，但特定位点的去甲基化和甲基化变化似乎都在响应 NTP 处理。