Cold Plasma‐Mediated Seed Priming: Plant Stress Responses and Potential Ecological Implications

ABSTRACT Cold plasma (CP) is being investigated as a non‐thermal seed treatment because studies have reported effects on germination, early seedling growth, plant responses to stress, and seed‐borne microorganisms. These effects have been linked to the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS), changes in seed‐surface characteristics, and alterations in physiological and biochemical processes within the plant. However, the response to treatment is not always consistent. It depends on factors such as plant species, plasma source, exposure time, and treatment intensity, while excessive exposure may adversely affect seed performance. Research to date suggests that CP may help improve crop establishment and modify plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, whether these effects lead to broader ecological benefits remains unclear. Relatively little is known about how CP treatment affects plant–microbe interactions, soil microbial communities, plant community structure, or ecosystem functioning under field conditions. It is also uncertain whether treatment‐induced responses persist across generations or involve stress memory and epigenetic regulation. These possibilities require direct experimental evidence rather than inference from short‐term physiological responses. This review examines current findings on the effects of CP on seed germination, pathogen suppression, and plant responses to environmental stress. It considers the mechanisms proposed to explain these effects, the variation observed across experimental systems, and the extent to which existing evidence supports the conclusions drawn. Potential ecological implications and unresolved evolutionary questions are also discussed. An important limitation of the current literature is its reliance on laboratory and controlled‐environment experiments, alongside a shortage of long‐term field studies and multigenerational investigations. As a result, the wider ecological consequences of CP seed treatment cannot yet be established with confidence. Addressing this gap will require more consistent treatment protocols, validation under field conditions, and studies that examine whether physiological and molecular responses are accompanied by measurable changes in plant performance, biological interactions, and ecosystem processes. Such evidence will be essential for determining both the practical value of CP seed treatment and its longer‐term environmental implications.