Effects of LPDBD Plasma and Plasma Activated Water on Germination and Growth in Rapeseed (Brassica napus)

The study deals with the effect of low pressure dielectric barrier discharge (LPDBD) plasma and plasma activated water (PAW) produced with Ar, O-2 and Air on germination and growth in rapeseed. Although H2O2 concentration showed no significant changes, alpha-amylase activity (germination inducer) significantly increased in seeds due to LPDBD plasma. In addition, the activity of SOD and CAT was significantly induced in seeds of rapeseed treated with PAW. Rapeseed plants grown from the LPDBD plasma treated seeds showed significant improvements in shoot characteristics, chlorophyll synthesis, total soluble protein and sugar concentration compared to controls. Interestingly, plasma treated plants also showed no significant variations of H2O2 in tissue(s) which is supported by the biochemical and molecular evidence(s) of antioxidant enzymes. Plants exhibited a significant increase in tissue APX and CAT activities along with BnAPX and BnCAT expression(s) in roots when seeds were treated with LPDBD Air/O-2 and PAW O-2. This suggests that LPDBD plasma might have been involved with elevated level of reactive oxygen species, which was tightly controlled through the upregulation of APX and CAT activities and thus trigger the growth and development in rapeseed plants. These findings reveal the role and mechanisms of LPDBD technique facilitating germination and growth in rapeseed plants.