Disinfection Efficacy of Electrohydraulic Discharge Plasma against <i>Xanthomonas campestris</i> pv <i>campestris</i>: A Sustainable Seed Treatment Approach

Abstract

The prevalence of plant diseases caused by pathogens such as Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris (Xcc) poses a significant challenge to sustainable agriculture, necessitating the development of effective and eco-friendly disinfection methods. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of electrohydraulic discharge plasma (EHDP) as a promising alternative for disinfection against Xcc, a pathogen responsible for black rot in cruciferous vegetables. Unlike conventional gas-phase plasma, EHDP introduces two pivotal components: gas–liquid interface plasma (GLIP) and its consequential byproduct, plasma-activated water (PAW). While GLIP enables dual-phase production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), PAW is a reservoir of liquid-phase long-lived RONS, thereby enhancing its bactericidal efficacy. In our evaluations, we tested EHDP-induced GLIP and EHDP-induced PAW against Xcc cells in both in vitro (Xcc suspension) and in vivo (Xcc-inoculated cabbage seeds) settings, achieving noteworthy results. Within 15 min, these methods eliminated ∼98% of the Xcc cells in suspension. For in vivo assessments, nontreated seeds exhibited an infection rate of 98%. In contrast, both EHDP treatments showed a significant reduction, with ∼60% fewer seeds infected while maintaining ∼90% germination rate. In addition, the liquid-phase RONS in EHDP-PAW may enhance seed vigor with a faster germination rate within the initial 5 days. Remarkably, around 90% of EHDP-PAW-treated seeds yielded healthy seedlings, indicating dual benefits in bacterial suppression and seed growth stimulation. In contrast, the percentage of healthy seedlings from nontreated, Xcc-inoculated seeds was approximately 70%. Our research demonstrates the feasibility of using eco-friendly EHDP in the seed disinfection process.

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