Effect of Cold Plasma Treatment on Seed Quality Parameters under Cold Stress in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abiotic stresses impinge rice production all over the world. Low temperature stress is one among the major abiotic stresses in crop plants significantly affecting plant growth, survival, reproduction, and dispersal. Therefore an experiment was carried out on rice variety BPT 5204 to study the effects of cold plasma treatment under cold stress. Attempt was made to standardize appropriate stage of exposure (dry seeds, sprouted seeds), voltage (30kv, 20kv) and duration of exposure (10min, 20min) based on the performance in vigour tests i.e., germination, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour index-II, field emergence test, abnormality and imbibition tests at a temperature of 18°C. Results indicated that exposure of sprouts of BPT 5204 at 20kv for 20min has given highest germination (88%), seedling dry weight (68.10 mg), seedling vigour index II (597), field emergence (77%), imbibition rate (0.495) and lowest abnormality (12%) in comparison to control and other treatments. This indicates that cold plasma treated at 20kv for 20min on paddy sprouts had a greater stimulatory effect on plant growth and development under cold temperature conditions.