The response of Helianthus annuus to pre-sowing seed treatment with stressors: induced changes in seed proteome, germination and seedling growth

Abstract

Seed treatment with cold plasma (CP) or electromagnetic field (EF) is a modern eco-agricultural technology for stimulation of plant germination and performance. Numerous studies demonstrated the effectiveness of such treatments for enhancing germination and growth of a large variety of crops. The molecular determinants of seed response to treatments are not established and no genomic studies of plant seed response to CP and EMF treatments have been reported. In order to gain an insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying effect of stressors on plant seeds, we estimated changes induced in differential protein expression of the model plant – sunflower (Helianthus annuus). We studied the effects of pre-sowing seed treatment, using vacuum (7 min), radio-frequency EF (5-15 min) and CP (2-7 min), on germination and growth of new confectionary cultivar ʽNyķrségi feketeʼ (donated by University of Debrecen IAREF, Hungary) of H. annuus harwested in 2016. The germination tests were performed both in vitro and in casettes and the obtained results indicated that pre-sowing seed treatments with CP and EMF did not change the final germination percentage, but CP (7 min) treatment and EMF (10 and 15 min) treatments increased both germination rate (by 20-24%) and uniformity of germination (up to 130%). Morphometric parameters of seedlings were estimated 7 days after sowing and the results showed that CP (7 min) treatment had negative effect on seedling length and stem weight, whereas EMF (15 min) treatment increased the weight of leaves (by 14%).[...]