Germination and growth improvement of papaya utilizing oxygen (O ₂) plasma treatment

Abstract

In general, cold plasma treatment improves crop germination and growth. The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of low-pressure O ₂ plasma treatment on the germination and growth kinetics of papaya seeds. Seeds were treated for 40 s at a discharge power of 80 W using O ₂ as a monomer. Physical and chemical changes were studied to understand the mechanism of germination and growth improvement. Furthermore, changes in phytohormones and antioxidant activity that were beneficial to germination were also examined. O ₂ plasma treatment improved wettability, surface etching, and oxidation, and affected other molecular-level changes leading to a 16% germination improvement in papaya.