Seed Germination of Black Pine (<italic>Pinus nigra</italic> Arnold) After Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge Plasma Treatment

We studied the effects of nonthermal plasma (NTP) treatment on various parameters of early germination stages of Pinus nigra seeds. In the experiment, the diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) with treatment time periods of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, and 60 s was used. Changes on the plasma-treated seed surface were studied by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Seed germination, germination rate, germination index, length of seedling, dry seedling weight, and seedling vigor index I and II were determined in a growth test under laboratory conditions. Various statistically significant effects of seed exposure to DCSBD plasma treatment were recorded. A positive reaction was observed in the germinated seeds after exposure for 1- and 5-s. Longer exposure time periods had a rather inhibitory effect. The performance of forest nurseries of NTP modification of seeds should be evaluated in order to measure the durability of the observed growth characteristics. The potential of NTP treatment on seeds in plant ecology in future is highlighted.