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. 2021 Aug 11;7(8):650. doi: 10.3390/jof7080650

Table 1.

An overview of experiments studying the effects of cold plasma on fungal decontamination in various plant species. AI: Artificially infected. NO: naturally occurring. CP: cold plasma. LP: low-pressure. AP: atmospheric-pressure. SMD: Surface micro-discharge. FB: fluidized bed. DCSBD: Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge. RF CC: radio-frequency capacitively coupled. (S)DBD: (Surface) Dielectric Barrier Discharge. CDPJ: Corona Discharge Plasma Jet. P: power. F: frequency. V: voltage. SPD: surface power density. PVD: power volume density. TT: treatment time. NT: not tested.

Fungal Species Seed Type Plasma Source and Properties Gas Type and Exposure Time Key Findings % of Germination Ref.
AI Aspergillus spp. and Penicillum spp. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), wheat (Triticum durum), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), chick pea (Cicer arietinum), soybean (Glycine max) barley (Hordeum vulgare), oat (Avena sativa), rye (Secale cereal), lentil (Lens culinaris), and corn (Zea mays) LP CP (500 mTorr);
P: 300 W;
F: 1 kHz;
V: 20 kV		 Air gas and SF6;
5–20 min		 Significant reduction to below 1% of initial fungal load No significant effect on wheat and bean seeds [6]
AI Aspergillus parasiticus Hazelnuts (Corylus avellane), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) and pistachio nuts (Pistacia vera) LP CP (500 mTorr);
P: 300 W;
F: 1 kHz;
V: 20 kV		 Air gas and SF6;
1–20 min		 Air plasma 1-log reduction of initial load, SF6 plasma more effective with app. 5-log decrease (after 5 min TT) NT [70]
NO microbiota Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) AP SMD CP; SPD: 10 mW/cm2; V: 5–17 kV Ambient air;
0.5–5 min		 Significant reduction of 1–2 log of microbial contamination Increased up to 3 min TT [4]
AI Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus Hazelnuts (Corylus avellane) AP FB CP;
P: 460–655 W;
F: 25 kHz;
V: 5–10 kV		 Air gas and N2;
1–5 min		 Significant reduction of app. 4-log (CFU/g) after 5 min of air gas plasma TT NT [83,84]
AI Fusarium circinatum (pine pest) Pine (Pinus radiata) AP DCSBD CP; F: 14 kHz;
V: 10 kV		 Air gas; 5–300 s Reduction of seedborne pathogens (14–100%) No significant effect [85]
NO microbiota and AI Fusarium nivale, F. culmorum, Trichothecium roseum, A. flavus, A. clavatus Wheat (Triticum aestivum) AP DCSBD CP; PVD: 100 W/cm3; P: 400 W Ambient air;
10–600 s for NO microflora;
1–300 s for AI fungi-infected seeds		 Increased inhibition of microflora with increased treatment time; Total devitalization of NO filamentous fungi after 120 s TT Increased up to 40 s TT, then decreased [18]
NO microbiota and AI A. flavus, Alternaria alternata, F. culmorum Maize (Zea mays) AP DCSBD CP; PVD: 80 W/cm3; P: 400 W Ambient air; 60–300 s Total devitalization of NO bacteria after 60 s and NO fungi 180 s TT No significant effect up to 120 s TT, then decreased [51]
NO fungi (Fusarium, Alternaria, Stemphylium) Wheat (Triticum aestivum), spring barley (Hordeum vulgare), blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius), soy (Glycine soja), and field pea (Pisum arvense) AP RF CC CP; PVD: 0.6 W/cm3; F: 5.28 MHz Air gas; 2–20 min Reduction of fungal infection; the most effective TT at 10 and 15 min Little enhancement in blue lupine and field pea [86]
NO fungal microbiota Wheat (Triticum aestivum) AP CP; F: 100 Hz–83 kHz;
V: 8 kV		 Air gas; 3–30 s Reduction of fungal colonies on wheat grains at the optimum 10 s TT No significant effect [87]
NO microbiota Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) AP SDBD CP; SPD: 80 mW/cm2; F: 5 kHz Humid air; 10–600 s Significant decrease in microbial load (up to 50% in 300 s TT) No significant effect [88]
NO microbiota (molds and yeasts) Rapeseed (Brasica napus) AP CDPJ CP;
F: 58 kHz
V: 20 kV, 58 kHz		 Air gas; 0.5–3 min Reduction by 2-log units compared to initial count Positive effect up to 1 min TT [61]
NO bacteria and fungi Ginseng (Panax ginseng) AP DBD;
F: 60 Hz;
V: 120 V		 Ar and Ar/O2 mixture (80:20);
10 min each day, 3 days in a row		 Ar/O2 plasma mixture had better bactericidal and fungicidal effect Positive effect in both mixtures [89]
NO fungi (molds and yeasts) Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and Tartary buckwheat (F. tataricum) LP RF CP (50 Pa); P: 1400 W;
F: 27.12 MHz		 Pure O2 plasma; 30–120 s Reduction of seedborne fungi to below 50% of control after 120 s No significant effect up to 45 s TT, then decreased [33]