Cold plasma treatment of seeds: deciphering the role of contact surfaces through multiple exposures, randomizing and stirring

Cold plasma technologies are an efficient approach to improve the germination properties of seeds, especially in a stacking configuration within dielectric barrier device. In such dry atmospheric priming process, we show that He-N2 treatment 20 min can reduce median time lentil seeds from 1420 1145 minutes, ie gain vigor 275 (or +19.4 %). Considering this result depends on plasma-seed interaction and therefore contact surfaces between plasma, topographic modeling 100 seeds-stack is performed This model drives distinction seed-seed (276 contacts standing for total area 230.6 mm2) seed-wall (134 105.9 mm2). After single treatment, outer envelope each seed 92% exposed plasma: value high enough support relevance process but which also opens way optimizations. outlook, propose replace 20-minute by "plasma sequence", succession shorter treatments whose duration remains min. Between two successive treatments, follow either trapping procedure (seeds same positions orientations) or randomizing reoriented) stirring vigorously shaken). A sequence 10 (upon 2 min) separated short procedures leads as 405 vs We understand these results correlating with water uptake wettability state their coating.