Development of Cold Plasma Technologies for Surface Decontamination of Seed Fungal Pathogens: Present Status and Perspectives

In view of the ever-growing human population and global environmental crisis, new technologies are emerging in all fields of our life. In the last two decades, the development of cold plasma (CP) technology has offered a promising and environmentally friendly solution for addressing global food security problems. Besides many positive effects, such as promoting seed germination, plant growth, and development, CP can also serve as a surface sterilizing agent. It can be considered a method for decontamination of microorganisms on the seed surface alternative to the traditional use of fungicides. This review covers basics of CP technology and its application in seed decontamination. As this is a relatively young field of research, the data are scarce and hard to compare due to various plasma setups and parameters. On the other hand, the rapidly growing research field offers opportunities for novel findings and applications.

Automated summary

Cold plasma technology has emerged as a promising and environmentally friendly solution for global food security issues, with the ability to promote seed germination, plant growth, and development, as well as serve as a surface sterilizing agent. While data in this young research field are scarce and hard to compare due to various plasma setups and parameters, the rapidly growing research field offers opportunities for novel findings and applications.