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The Effect of Low-Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge (LPDBD) Plasma in Boosting Germination, Growth, and Nutritional Properties in Wheat

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Abstract

Plasma agriculture is an emerging technology, although the application of non-thermal plasma in wheat productivity is still in its early stage. This study deciphers the effect and mechanistic basis of non-thermal air-generated LPDBD (low-pressure dielectric barrier discharge) plasma in boosting germination, growth and nutritional properties in wheat. Seeds treated with LPDBD plasma exhibited cracked periphery and discernible expansion during seed germination. LPDBD plasma applied for 6 min showed a 22.11% increase in the germination percentage and a substantial increase in iron content in grains compared to non-treated controls. At the cellular level, the concentration of H2O2 in leaves significantly increased (3.56 µM g−1 FW) due to LPDBD treatment compared to controls. This increased level of H2O2 may act as a stimulating agent to trigger the physiological functions in wheat plants. In addition, plants sprouted from air-treated seeds exhibited a marked elevation in CAT and SOD activity accompanied by the increased expression of TaCAT and TaSOD genes in roots of wheat. Interestingly, the grain yield of wheat increased by 27.06% in response to plasma treatment compared to control. Further, grains harvested from plasma-treated plants showed a substantial elevation in iron and fat content as well as decreased moisture content that may contribute to the increased shelf life. The study will open up a new avenue for practical application of plasma in agriculture.

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Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Department of Glass and Ceramic Engineering (GCE), Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.

Funding

The current work was supported by the University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh and Taif University Researchers Supporting Project (Project number: TURSP—2020/75, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Biology and Protein Science Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Mahedi Hasan, Md. Sohanur Rahman Sohan, Salek Ahmed Sajib, Md. Forhad Hossain, Masum Miah, Md. Mahmudul Hasan Maruf, Khandaker Md. Khalid-Bin-Ferdaus & Md Abu Reza

  2. Molecular Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Ahmad Humayun Kabir

  3. Plasma Science and Technology Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Mamunur Rashid Talukder & Md. Mamunur Rashid

  4. Oils, Fats and Waxes Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Rajshahi Laboratories, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Md. Moinuddin

  5. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt

    Mona M. Elseehy

  6. Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed M. El-Shehawi

Authors
  1. Mahedi Hasan
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  2. Md. Sohanur Rahman Sohan
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  3. Salek Ahmed Sajib
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  4. Md. Forhad Hossain
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  5. Masum Miah
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  6. Md. Mahmudul Hasan Maruf
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  7. Khandaker Md. Khalid-Bin-Ferdaus
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  8. Ahmad Humayun Kabir
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  9. Mamunur Rashid Talukder
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  10. Md. Mamunur Rashid
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  11. Md. Moinuddin
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  12. Mona M. Elseehy
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  13. Ahmed M. El-Shehawi
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  14. Md Abu Reza
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Contributions

Mahedi Hasan, Md. Sohanur Rahman Sohan and Md Abu Reza conceptualized the whole project. Mahedi Hasan and Sohanur Rahman Sohan performed most of the experiments. Md. Forhad Hossain, Md. Mahmudul Hasan Maruf and Masum Miah was actively involved in different experiments. Mamunur Rashid Talukder, Md. Mamunur Rashid performed seed treatment by plasma technology. Md. Moinuddin was involved in experimentation of nutritional properties. Khandaker Md. Khalid-Bin-Ferdaus, Salek Ahmed Sajib contributed in methodology, software analysis. Ahmad Humayun Kabir contributed in biochemical analysis and qPCR. Mona M. Elseehy and Ahmed M. El-Shehawi provided financial support and reviewing manuscript. Md Abu Reza supervised the whole work.

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Correspondence to Md Abu Reza.

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Formal ethical approval is not required for this experimental work as the plant line used in this work is a cultivated genotype. In addition, the seeds were collected from the local market; hence, permissions and/or licenses for collection of seed specimens are not required complying with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines and legislation.

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Hasan, M., Sohan, M.S.R., Sajib, S.A. et al. The Effect of Low-Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge (LPDBD) Plasma in Boosting Germination, Growth, and Nutritional Properties in Wheat. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 42, 339–362 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-021-10217-z

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