Author(s)

Khaled Lotfy^1,2

¹King Marriott Higher Institute of Engineering & Technology, Alexandria, Egypt.
²University College of Taiyma, Tabuk University, Tabuk, KSA.

The current study was carried out to reveal the possible impacts of non-thermal plasma on water uptake by seeds, seed germination and vigor of seedlings of watermelon seeds using cold plasma jet at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma jet with nitrogen gas sources was employed in this study. Five treatment doses and one control were used to conduct germination parameters. The effects of the different duration time of cold atmospheric plasma on the germination of treated watermelon seeds were studied. The cold plasma operated at 3 Kv and 14 l/min as a fixed input voltage and a fixed flow rate respectively. Cold atmospheric plasma increased the germination percentage of watermelon as well as the growth parameters (root and shoot length, dry weight), and the vigor of seedlings. The effects of cold plasma during this study depended on exposure time. The operation time of 4 min considered as an appropriate plasma dose to promote the germination parameters.

Non-Thermal Plasma, Atmospheric Plasma, Germination Rate, Vigor Index

Lotfy, K. (2017) Effects of Cold Atmospheric Plasma Jet Treatment on the Seed Germination and Enhancement Growth of Watermelon. Open Journal of Applied Sciences, 7, 705-719. doi: 10.4236/ojapps.2017.712050.