The influence of the cold radiofrequency air plasma treatment on the imbibition and germination of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) seeds, exerted to conditions appearing in natural seedbeds, was investigated. Various conditions of water supply (from nonrestricted water supply to water drought stress) to the germinating seeds were studied. Plasma treatment markedly increased the water imbibition in the case of tomato seeds under limited water availability conditions. Cold radiofrequency plasma treatment had no noticeable impact on the germination of tomato and pepper seeds under the conditions of nonrestricted water supply. In the case of drought stress for both studied cultivars, the cold plasma treatment essentially influenced the germination rate and the kinetics of germination (the median of the Richards’ curve was changed essentially under conditions of water drought).
Part of the book: Seed Biology