LAUSR

The study investigates the effect of LPDBD (Low Power Dielectric Barrier Discharge) (Ar + Air) plasma on seed germination, seedling growth and antioxidant enzyme activity of rice. Rice seeds were treated with LPDBD (Ar + Air) plasma for 2 min, 4 min, 6 min, 8 min and 10 min. Seed germination rate, seedling growth, total chlorophyll content, enzymatic activity, total soluble sugar and protein concentration were increased in plants grown from the LPDBD (Ar + Air) plasma treated seeds. It was observed that the sprouting of seeds and the growth of seedlings of rice depends on the feed gases used to generate plasma and plasma processing time. In the case of plantlets germinated from the plasma-treated seeds of rice, the H2O2 level was increased significantly both in leaves and roots for 6 min, 8 min and 10 min treatment respectively. No significant change was observed in NO concentration in seed, leaf, or root of plants grown from LPDBD (Ar + Air) plasma-treated seeds. The amount of total soluble sugar and protein increased significantly in the case of 2 min, 4 min, 6 min, 8 min and 10 min seed treatment. Although plants exhibited no significant increase in APX activities, but asignificant increase of CAT and SOD activity in the leaf and root was found. This study reveals that LPDBD (Ar + Air) plasma is involved in the elevation of ROS species in leaf and root of rice plants which is tightly regulated by the upregulation of CAT activity that ultimately enhances the seed germination and growth of rice plantlets.