Changes in Content of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity Induced in Needles of Different Half-Sib Families of Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) by Seed Treatment with Cold Plasma

Abstract

In order to ensure sufficient food resources for a constantly growing human population, new technologies (e.g., cold plasma technologies) are being developed for increasing the germination and seedling growth without negative effects on the environment. Pinaceae species are considered a natural source of antioxidant compounds and are valued for their pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties. In this study, the seeds of seven different Norway spruce half-sib families were processed for one or two minutes with cold plasma (CP) using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma equipment. At the end of the second vegetation season, the total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH (2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate), and ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) antioxidant activity, and the amounts of six organic acids (folic, malic, citric, oxalic, succinic, and ascorbic) were determined in the needles of different half-sib families of Norway spruce seedlings. The results show that the TFC, antioxidant activity, and amounts of organic acids in the seedling needles depended on both the treatment duration and the genetic family. The strongest positive effect on the TFC was determined in the seedlings of the 477, 599, and 541 half-sib families after seed treatment with CP for 1 min (CP1). The TFC in these families increased from 118.06 mg g−1 to 312.6 mg g−1 compared to the control. Moreover, seed treatment with CP1 resulted in the strongest increase in the antioxidant activity of the needles of the 541 half-sib family seedlings; the antioxidant activity, determined by DPPH and ABTS tests, increased by 30 and 23%, respectively, compared to the control. The obtained results indicate that the CP effect on the amount of organic acids in the needles was dependent on the half-sib family. It was determined that treatment with CP1 increased the amount of five organic acids in the needles of the 541 half-sib family seedlings. The presented results show future possibilities for using cold plasma seed treatment in the food and pharmacy industries.

Phenolic and Antioxidant Compound Accumulation of Quercus robur Bark Diverges Based on Tree Genotype, Phenology and Extraction Method

“…can produce different amounts of phenols, flavonoids, and photosynthesis pigments [ 31 ]. Furthermore, we observed the same tendencies in ash, spruce, and pine trees as well as blueberries and lingonberries [ 32 , 43 , 47 , 53 , 54 ]. All these examples align perfectly with the findings of this study, whereby we observed statistically significant differences in the amounts of TPC, TFC and antioxidant scavenging capacity diverging in different half-sib families grown in the same site and belonging to the same population.…”

“…The variance components were calculated using the SAS MIXED procedure (REML method): where µ is the grand mean, R i is the fixed effect of replicate i , P j is the random effect of population j , F k is the random effect of family k , and E ijkl is the residual error. Standard errors of the estimates of variance components were calculated by Taylor expansions and the asymptotic covariance matrix of the estimates was obtained from MIXED procedure [ 47 ].…”

Seed Treatment with Electromagnetic Field Induces Different Effects on Emergence, Growth and Profiles of Biochemical Compounds in Seven Half-Sib Families of Silver Birch

“…It has been reported that seed treatment with EMFs leads to an increase in TFC in Portulaca oleracea [90]. In addition, the results of our previous studies indicated that seed processing with cold plasma induced changes in TFC as well as TPC, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant activity in the needles of different Norway spruce half-sib families [34,35]. The short-term seed exposure to EMF elicited notable enhancements in TFC/TPC in one-year-old seedlings of two silver birch half-sib families, the 60th and 73rd.…”

“…Several significant mechanisms could be categorized as instances of induced systemic resistance. One of them involves the stimulation of the synthesis of SMs, which are the plant's natural defenses [26,30,34]. Significant correlations between SMs in Norway spruce needles and plant resistance to pathogens were reported previously [35].…”

“…In the previous study, the effects of cold plasma (CP) and EF treatments on Norway spruce germination and growth were investigated using a natural seed mixture [25,64]. It was demonstrated in the later studies on seven half-sib families that effects of seed treatments on growth and biochemical composition of Norway spruce seedlings are genotypedependent [34,65]. The selection of more vigorous and resistant silver birch genotypes can be recommended to forestry companies for effective reduction of pathogen losses.…”