Synergistic DBD Plasma and plasma-activated water enhance sunflower seed surface wettability and germination
Siwapon Srisonphan, Naowarat Tephiruk, Sirikan Homkanchan, Jiratchaya Puttha, Sawita Suwannarat, Nithiphat Teerakawanich
Abstract
As global food production intensifies, the urgency for sustainable, chemical-free agricultural technologies grows. This study presents a first-of-its-kind dual plasma-based seed treatment that synergistically integrates dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and plasma-activated water (PAW) to enhance sunflower seed ( Helianthus annuus L. ) germination and early growth. Unlike previous approaches, our method concurrently leverages DBD to alter seed surface wettability and PAW to enrich irrigation with bioavailable oxygen and nitrogen species. This synergistic treatment accelerates water imbibition by over 85%, improves metabolic activity, and results in a 30% increase in seedling length and a 32% rise in biomass. Finite element simulations reveal the mechanism of plasma–seed interactions, demonstrating how DBD plasma optimizes surface properties for enhanced water uptake. The dual-treatment system is scalable, energy-efficient, and chemical-free, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional seed priming. This is the first report to validate the synergistic enhancement achieved by simultaneously applying DBD plasma and PAW—a transformative innovation for sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.