Evaluation of DBD Plasma Effects on Barley Seed Germination and Seedling Growth

The experimental results of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment on barley (Hordeum Valgare L cv. Yusef) seed germination and seedling growth are analyzed and presented. The seeds were exposed to DBD plasma with 40-, 80-, and 120-W powers for 15 s. All treatments showed positive effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and vigor index. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and water imbibition evaluations of plasma-treated seeds revealed that the treatments improved water absorption in the seeds. Similar positive improvements were observed for the plasma-treated seeds in the seedling stage. The best germination characteristics were obtained in 80-W DBD plasma, which included an 18.28% increment in total germination percentage, and 13.35%, 66.83%, 38.55%, and 31.93% increment on the seed germination potential, vigor index, shoot height, and root length, respectively. Moreover, the seed germination of the plasma-treated barley was studied after 2, 7, 14, and 30 days of storage, which indicated the desirable effect of plasma over the storage time. It is concluded that the use of cold plasma can significantly improve the germination and seedling growth of barley seeds.