A protocol for the use of cold plasma treatment to inhibit in vitro growth of Fusarium graminearum

Abstract

Cold plasma is an ionised gas that can be used to control a range of microorganisms. In this study, a protocol was developed for cold plasma treatment of in vitro growth of Fusarium graminearum, a global mycotoxic species generally associated with cereal grain. Four F. graminearum isolates on potato dextrose agar (PDA) were treated with cold plasma for 70 s from a distance of 21 cm in a closed environment, and their radial colony growth was measured. To consider whether cold plasma modified the culture media, non-inoculated half-strength PDA plates were also treated with cold plasma prior to inoculation with the F. graminearum isolates. Similarly, to determine if a rise in temperature during the treatment impacted the growth of the isolates or the culture media itself, the plates were treated with dry heat before and after inoculation with the isolates. Treatment of F. graminearum isolates with cold plasma inhibited their growth and was not associated with the culture media or the rise in temperature during the treatment. Optical emission spectroscopy of cold plasma identified reactive (ionised) species of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, copper, and carbon with the highest number of peaks produced for argon. These results demonstrate that cold plasma can significantly inhibit the in vitro growth of F. graminearum isolates when treated in a closed environment and suggest there is potential to control the in vivo growth of F. graminearum.

Effect of Plasma-Activated Water Bubbles on Fusarium graminearum, Deoxynivalenol, and Germination of Naturally Infected Barley during Steeping

“…In a previous study, the growth of F. graminearum was significantly inhibited following PAW treatment of F. graminearum in culture [ 1 ]. Moreover, the growth rate of F. graminearum was significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced after treating the fungus with gliding arc plasma [ 36 ]. There are other studies on the reduction of the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus on inoculated groundnuts [ 37 ], Penicillium italicum on inoculated kumquat [ 38 ], A. parasiticus and A. flavus on inoculated hazelnuts [ 39 ] after ACP/PAW treatment.…”