Beak Hong Kwan, Priatama Ryza A, Han Sang-Ik, Song Ilchan, Park Soon Ju, Lee Young Koung
Institute of Plasma Technology, Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, Gunsan, Republic of Korea.
Division of Biological Sciences, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea.
Front Plant Sci. 2024 Nov 22;15:1488583. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1488583. eCollection 2024.
Recent advancements in agricultural technology have highlighted the potential of eco-friendly innovations, such as plasma-activated water (PAW), for enhancing seed germination, growth, and biomass production.
In this study, we investigated the effects of PAW irrigation on young sorghum seedlings through phenotypic and transcriptional analyses. We measured growth parameters, including seedling height, stem thickness, and biomass, across five sorghum varieties: BTx623, Sodamchal, Noeulchal, Baremae, and Hichal. Additionally, we performed detailed analyses of stem cross-sections to evaluate the structural changes induced by PAW. Whole transcriptome analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and to perform Gene Ontology (GO) analysis.
Phenotypic analysis revealed significant growth enhancements in PAW-treated seedlings compared to the control group, with notable increases in seedling height, stem thickness, and biomass. Stem cross-section analysis confirmed that PAW treatment led to the enlargement of primordia tissue, leaf sheath (LS1 and LS2), and overall stem tissue area. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 78% of the DEGs were upregulated in response to PAW, indicating that PAW acts as a positive regulator of gene expression. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis further showed that PAW treatment predominantly upregulated genes associated with transmembrane transport, response to light stimulus, oxidoreductase activity, and transcriptional regulation. Additionally, an enriched AP2/EREBP transcription binding motif was identified.
These findings suggest that PAW not only enhances sorghum seedling growth through transcriptional regulation but also has the potential to optimize agricultural practices by increasing crop yield. The upregulation of genes involved in critical biological processes underscores the need for further exploration of PAW's potential in improving the productivity of sorghum and possibly other crops.
农业技术的最新进展凸显了等离子体活化水（PAW）等环保创新技术在促进种子萌发、生长和生物量生产方面的潜力。
在本研究中，我们通过表型和转录分析研究了PAW灌溉对高粱幼苗的影响。我们测量了五个高粱品种（BTx623、Sodamchal、Noeulchal、Baremae和Hichal）的生长参数，包括幼苗高度、茎粗和生物量。此外，我们对茎横切面进行了详细分析，以评估PAW诱导的结构变化。进行了全转录组分析，以鉴定差异表达基因（DEG）并进行基因本体（GO）分析。
表型分析显示，与对照组相比，PAW处理的幼苗生长显著增强，幼苗高度、茎粗和生物量显著增加。茎横切面分析证实，PAW处理导致原基组织、叶鞘（LS1和LS2）和整个茎组织面积增大。转录组分析显示，78%的DEG因PAW而上调，表明PAW是基因表达的正调控因子。基因本体（GO）分析进一步表明，PAW处理主要上调了与跨膜运输、对光刺激的反应、氧化还原酶活性和转录调控相关的基因。此外，还鉴定出一个富集的AP2/EREBP转录结合基序。
这些发现表明，PAW不仅通过转录调控促进高粱幼苗生长，还具有通过提高作物产量来优化农业实践的潜力。参与关键生物学过程的基因上调凸显了进一步探索PAW在提高高粱及可能其他作物生产力方面潜力的必要性。
