Plant Shoot and Root Growth with ActivatedAir™

From the offset of germination, monitoring subsequent root and shoot growth is an obvious indicator of plant health and vigour. In many cases, for many growers, some plants aren’t harvested until they reach a certain developmental specification, such as plant/shoot height for example. Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ increases the rate of development of shoot and root length…

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From the offset of germination, monitoring subsequent root and shoot growth is an obvious indicator of plant health and vigour. In many cases, for many growers, some plants aren’t harvested until they reach a certain developmental specification, such as plant/shoot height for example. Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ increases the rate of development of shoot and root length – examples can be seen from the early seedling stage to demonstrate this… a phenomenon also supported by online literature based on seed exposure to NTP (Non-Thermal Plasma).

Shoot Growth Results

Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ has been seen to increase the rate of shoot and root development, seen below.

SALAD ONION – Early Shoot Development

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Zayndu
Figure 1. Early Shoot Development of Salad Onion. Salad Onion seeds were plated in cellulose pleated sheets, with germination rate being monitored daily. On Day 14, shoot lengths of 10 seedlings per treatment were measured (seedlings chosen using a random number generator). ‘Salad Onion 2’ seedlings were significantly larger that Untreated seedlings (P < 0.05).

Root Growth Results

DILL – Root Growth on 1/2MS agar

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Zayndu
Figure 2. Root Growth Experiment of Dill. 10 Untreated dill seeds and 10 Treated dill seeds were grown on 1/2MS agar for just over 2 weeks before being extracted and monitoring the root development over this time. Those treated with ActivatedAir™ were seen to be significantly larger.

RED AMARANTH – Root Growth Experiment

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Zayndu
Untreated Amaranth 1
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Figure 3. Red Amaranth Root Growth Experiment on 1/2MS Agar. 3 reps of 10 untreated amaranth seeds were compared against 3 reps of 10 treated amaranth seeds on 1/2MS agar to monitor root growth and development (Top). On day 16, seedlings were extracted for full root length measurements (middle). Seedlings of the treated seed batch saw both increased germination output and increased root length over this time (bottom).

Throughout the examples, treated seeds (and subsequent plants) outperform untreated seeds when analysing both root and shoot growth. It is demonstrated that seeds treated with ActivatedAir™ give rise to seedlings and plants that have accelerated growth and development; both of which translate into reduced growing cycle times and increased yields at the end of the growing period. Having accelerated root and shoot growth can act as a positive feedback loop – where quicker establishment allows greater nutrient uptake at an earlier stage, resulting in increased developmental rate of shoots and roots… which leads to greater nutrient uptake and so forth.

Discussion

It has been demonstrated in Zayndu’s own experiments that ActivatedAir™ leads to boosted developmental rates of roots and shoots, making roots longer and shoots/plants taller overall.

Many other examples can be found in numerous scientific literature pieces. Such examples replicate the effects seen above on species such as peanuts, radish, peas, wheat and Arabidopsis – all of which report increases to seedling shoot growth, increases to early root growth, or both [1]. A simple explanation of how this occurs originates from the initial boost in germination rate, the result of which is the promotion of subsequent seedling and plant growth. The non-selective reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) of Zayndu’s cold plasma cause etches and erosions on the outer seed coat surface, breaking down the hydrophobic waxy layers present on most seeds. This allows the seed to become more hydrophilic, with a greater surface area, which leads to an increased rate of water uptake during imbibition [2]. This way, seeds germinate quicker – shifting a given growth curve to the left, meaning that germination and growth at any given time is more advanced (seen below).

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Figure 4. Representative Example of Increased Germination and Growth Rate of Plants when Exposed to Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ (Green).  Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ exerts chemical and physical modifications to seeds such that their subsequent germination and growth rates are increased

Cold plasma treatment provides an oxidative boost to seeds. RONS can crosstalk (through intermediates) with endogenous plant hormones, namely ABA (abscisic acid – promoter of dormancy) and GA (gibberellins – promoter of germination) – the 2 main antagonistic dictators of germination. It has been demonstrated that seeds exposed to cold plasma have reduced endogenous levels of ABA, mainly through enzyme-mediated catabolic action, and as such the same seeds have increased levels of GA, leading to faster germination [3]. These hormones, along with others, are also important post-germination during seedling growth; GA for example plays important roles in seed stem elongation and leaf expansion [4]. Another example is IAA (indole-3-acetic acid – a member of the Auxin hormone class, having a number of roles in general plant growth and development). Peas treated with cold plasma were seen to have an increase in IAA along with a correlation with increased growth parameters [5].

Altogether, Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ cold plasma treatment has beneficial effects on plant root and shoot growth, that result in increased developmental rate/growth. Plants grow larger – faster – helping to both increase yields, and reduce crop cycle times!

If you want to learn more about how Zayndu’s ActivatedAir™ system can improve your germination rates, email us at info@zayndu.com. Or, find out if you’re eligible for the free trial programme here.

References

[1] Mildaziene V, Ivankov A, Sera B, Baniulis D. Biochemical and physiological plant processes affected by seed treatment with non-thermal plasma. Plants. 2022 Mar 23;11(7):856.

[2] Adhikari B, Adhikari M, Park G. The effects of plasma on plant growth, development, and sustainability. Applied Sciences. 2020 Aug 31;10(17):6045.

[3] Gomes MP, Garcia QS. Reactive oxygen species and seed germination. Biologia. 2013 Jun;68:351-7.

[4] Khatami S, Ahmadinia A. Increased germination and growth rates of pea and Zucchini seed by FSG plasma. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Physics. 2018 Mar;12:33-8.

[5] Pańka D, Jeske M, Łukanowski A, Baturo-Cieśniewska A, Prus P, Maitah M, Maitah K, Malec K, Rymarz D, Muhire JD, Szwarc K. Can cold plasma be used for boosting plant growth and plant protection in sustainable plant production?. Agronomy. 2022 Mar 29;12(4):841.

Written by: Dr Alberto Campanaro and Sam Gee