Method for improving germination rate and growth rate of sprouting vegetable seeds by utilizing electric field

Abstract

The invention provides a method for improving the germination rate and growth rate of sprouting vegetable seeds by using an electric field, and belongs to the field of sprout production, and the method comprises the following steps: S1, selecting seeds which are full in form and free of insects and mildew, and removing stones and other impurities; s2, seeds are treated, specifically, the cold plasma treatment voltage is 60 V, the current is 1 + / -0.2 A, and the treatment time is set to be 20 s and 60 s respectively; the electric field treatment voltage of the parallel plates is 20 kV, the distance between the parallel plates is 5 cm, and the treatment time is set to be 10 min and 30 min respectively; s3, the treated seeds are soaked for 2-4 h, and germination accelerating, germination and bud harvesting are carried out. Through cold plasma treatment and parallel plate electric field treatment, the germination rate of the seeds is remarkably increased, the growth and development time of the sprouting vegetables is shortened, industrial production can be promoted, and operation is easy and convenient. The treatment process is free of chemical addition and food pollution, natural and green, and the germination rate increasing effect is remarkable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sprout production, and more particularly, to a method for improving the germination rate and growth rate of sprout seeds by using an electric field. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous improvement of the national living standard and the continuous enhancement of people's health awareness, sprout vegetables, as green vegetables and health foods with high nutritional value and easy to digest, are loved by more and more consumers, and the market scale is constantly expanding. It is expected that the demand for sprout vegetables will continue to increase in the future. At the same time, sprout vegetables account for about 12% of the total vegetable consumption in China, showing a relatively high market demand. The traditional sprout vegetable industry has problems such as insufficient seed germination rate and slow growth rate. In the future, more attention will be paid to variety innovation and seed technology optimization. By applying intelligent agricultural technologies such as cold plasma treatment and electric field treatment, the quality of sprout vegetable seeds will be improved, and thus the yield of sprout vegetables will be increased. Therefore, taking cold plasma treatment and electric field treatment as representatives of seed technology optimization, the research on promoting the germination rate and growth rate of sprout vegetable seeds has great economic value.

[0003] Among the quality indicators of vegetables such as appearance, quality, and edible safety, the germination rate and growth rate are one of the most important quality indicators, which will directly affect economic benefits such as enterprise output. Many new physical and chemical treatment methods have been developed by domestic and foreign scholars. Physical methods include ultraviolet treatment, high-pressure treatment, radiation treatment, pulsed electric field, and cold plasma, etc. Chemical methods are mainly various medicament immersions, etc. Cold plasma, as a harmless processing technology for improving the specific functional activity of food, has attracted much attention in the food industry. Cold plasma has the advantages of simple equipment, low cost, and green and high efficiency. Cold plasma is the fourth state of matter composed of a series of substances such as positive and negative ions, electrons, and free radicals generated after gas atoms are ionized. Based on its strong oxidation modification ability and non-thermal characteristics, it shows great potential in seed treatment.

[0004] The prior art mainly improves seed vigor through physical or chemical methods to achieve the purpose of increasing seed germination rate. The invention patent CN108283138A discloses a method for germinating sunflower sprouts. This method uses sodium hypochlorite solution, a chemical reagent, and there may be residues. Reagents used in the preparation of sprouts but not completely removed will pose food safety risks. The invention patent CN118370159A discloses a method for growing organic pea sprouts, but this method is complex in operation, has a long processing time, requires pre-mixing and dressing seeds with bacteria, disinfecting the planting land, applying sheep manure, and spraying white vinegar. Therefore, it is difficult to promote and apply on a large scale in actual production activities, which will reduce production efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art for a seed treatment method applicable to various different sprout seeds, which can avoid the use of chemical reagents, is simple in operation, can be widely promoted and applied on a large scale, and is efficient, green, and low-cost at the same time. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for treating sprout seeds with cold plasma and parallel plate electric fields, thereby increasing the seed germination rate and growth rate. The method provided by the present invention is applicable to various sprout seeds (such as white sesame, sorghum, toona sinensis, red amaranth, beet, purple cabbage, etc.). It not only effectively improves the seed germination rate and growth rate, but also has a short treatment time, which can promote industrial production. It is an efficient, green, and low-cost technological method for treating sprout seeds.

[0006] A method for increasing the germination rate and growth rate of sprout seeds by using an electric field, which uses cold plasma and parallel plate electric fields to achieve the promotion effect on the germination rate and growth rate of sprout seeds, includes the following steps: S1. Select seeds with plump shapes, free of insects and mildew, and remove stones and other sundries; S2. Treat the seeds: The cold plasma treatment voltage is 60 V, the current is 1 ± 0.2 A, and the treatment time is 20 and 60 s; The parallel plate electric field treatment voltage is 20 kV, the distance between the parallel plates is 5 cm, and the treatment times are set to 10 and 30 min respectively; S3. Immerse the treated seeds for 2 - 4 h, and carry out the work of pre-germination, germination, and harvesting of sprouts.

[0007] In step S3, during the seed immersion process, at room temperature of 25°C, pre-germination is carried out at a ratio of water to the volume of treated seeds of about 4:1, and the immersion time is 2 - 4 h.

[0008] The seeds are evenly placed on a seedling tray paved with wet gauze for pre-germination; During the germination process, water is evenly sprayed every 8 - 12 h, and the temperature of the constant temperature germination box is 25°C, the humidity is 85%, and the light intensity is 40% for germination treatment.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: The present invention provides a method for improving the germination rate and growth rate of sprout seeds by using an electric field, which is a new physical method with the ability to improve the germination rate and growth rate of seeds. Through cold plasma treatment and parallel plate electric field treatment, the seeds not only have a significant improvement in germination rate, but also shorten the growth and development time of sprout seeds. It can promote industrial production, is easy to operate, meets the needs of future large-scale industrial production, and has great application prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figures 1 to 3 Bar charts showing the changes in fresh weight, stem length, and germination rate of sesame seeds with different cold plasma treatment / parallel plate electric field treatment parameters; Figures 4 to 6 Bar charts showing the changes in fresh weight, stem length, and germination rate of sorghum seeds with different cold plasma treatment / electric field treatment parameters; Figures 7 to 9 Bar charts showing the changes in fresh weight, stem length, and germination rate of toona sinensis seeds with different cold plasma treatment / electric field treatment parameters; Figures 10 - 12 Bar charts showing the changes in fresh weight, stem length, and germination rate of sugar beet seeds with different cold plasma treatment / electric field treatment parameters; Figures 13 to 15 Bar charts showing the changes in fresh weight, stem length, and germination rate of red cabbage seeds with different cold plasma treatment / electric field treatment parameters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be noted that for improving the germination rate and growth rate of sprout seeds by cold plasma and electric field treatment, without departing from the principle of the present invention, several variations and improvements can be made, which should also be regarded as falling within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0012] Example 1: 1) The cold plasma parameters are set to 60 V and 1 A. Each group of white sesame seed samples for treatment weighs 4.5 g. Two treatment times are set, namely 20 s and 40 s, and each treatment time is repeated 5 times.

[0013] 2) The parallel plate electric field treatment parameters are set to 20 kV and the plate spacing is 5 cm. Each group of white sesame samples for treatment weighs 9 g. Two treatment times are set, namely 10 min and 20 min.

[0014] 3) Soak the treated seeds obtained in the above steps 1) and 2). The room temperature is set to 25°C, and the volume ratio of water to seeds is about 4:1. Soak for 2 h.

[0015] 4) Evenly place the seeds soaked in step 3) on a seedling tray covered with wet gauze, place them in different zones according to different seed treatment conditions, and conduct germination acceleration. 5) Place the germinated seeds in step 4) in a constant temperature germination box at 25 °C, with a humidity of 85% and a light intensity of 40%, and spray water evenly every 8 - 12 h.

[0016] 6) Take the good growth of white sesame sprouts reaching an edible state as the standard for harvesting sprouts. Measure the germination rate, fresh weight, and stem length of white sesame seeds under each treatment respectively according to the divided zones.

[0017] Example 2: 1) Set the cold plasma parameters to 60 V, 1 A. Weigh 10 g of sorghum seed samples for each group to be treated, set two treatment times to 20 s and 50 s respectively, and repeat each treatment time 5 times.

[0018] 2) Set the parallel plate electric field treatment parameters to 16 kV and the plate spacing to 4 cm. Weigh 20 g of sorghum seed samples for each group to be treated, set two treatment times to 10 min and 30 min respectively.

[0019] 3) Soak the treated seeds obtained in steps 1) and 2). Set the room temperature to 25 °C, and the volume ratio of water to seeds is about 4:1. Soak for 2 h.

[0020] 4) Evenly place the seeds soaked in step 3) on a seedling tray covered with wet gauze, place them in different zones according to different seed treatment conditions, and conduct germination acceleration. 5) Place the germinated seeds in step 4) in a constant temperature germination box at 25 °C, with a humidity of 85% and a light intensity of 40%, and spray water evenly every 8 - 12 h.

[0021] 6) Take the good growth of sorghum sprouts reaching an edible state as the standard for harvesting sprouts. Measure the germination rate, fresh weight, and stem length of sorghum seeds under each treatment respectively according to the divided zones.

[0022] Example 3: 1) Set the cold plasma parameters to 60 V, 1 A. Weigh 4 g of toona sinensis seed samples for each group to be treated, set two treatment times to 20 s and 50 s respectively, and repeat each treatment time 5 times.

[0023] 2) Set the parallel plate electric field treatment parameters to 12 kV and the plate spacing to 3 cm. Weigh 8 g of toona sinensis seed samples for each group to be treated, set two treatment times to 15 min and 25 min respectively.

[0024] 3) Soak the treated seeds obtained in steps 1) and 2) above. Set the room temperature to 25 °C, with a water:seed volume ratio of approximately 4:1, and soak for 2 h.

[0025] 4) Evenly place the seeds soaked in step 3) above on a seedling tray lined with wet gauze, and place them in different zones according to different seed treatment conditions for germination. 5) Place the germinated seeds in step 4) above in a constant temperature germination box at 25 °C, with a humidity of 85% and a light intensity of 40%, and spray water evenly every 8 - 12 h.

[0026] 6) Take the good growth of toon sprouts reaching an edible state as the standard for harvesting sprouts. Measure the germination rate, fresh weight, and stem length of toon seeds under each treatment respectively according to the divided zones.

[0027] Example 4: 1) Set the cold plasma parameters to 60 V and 1 A. Weigh 5.4 g of sugar beet seed samples for each group to be treated, and set two treatment times to 20 s and 30 s respectively, with each treatment time repeated 5 times.

[0028] 2) Set the parallel plate electric field treatment parameters to 20 kV and a plate spacing of 5 cm. Weigh 7.6 g of sugar beet seed samples for each group to be treated, and set two treatment times to 10 min and 20 min respectively.

[0029] 3) Soak the treated seeds obtained in steps 1) and 2) above. Set the room temperature to 25 °C, with a water:seed volume ratio of approximately 4:1, and soak for 2 h.

[0030] 4) Evenly place the seeds soaked in step 3) above on a seedling tray lined with wet gauze, and place them in different zones according to different seed treatment conditions for germination. 5) Place the germinated seeds in step 4) above in a constant temperature germination box at 25 °C, with a humidity of 85% and a light intensity of 40%, and spray water evenly every 8 - 12 h.

[0031] 6) Take the good growth of sugar beet seedlings reaching an edible state as the standard for harvesting sprouts. Measure the germination rate, fresh weight, and stem length of sugar beet seeds under each treatment respectively according to the divided zones.

[0032] Example 5: 1) Set the cold plasma parameters to 60 V and 1 A. Weigh 8.7 g of purple cabbage seed samples for each group to be treated, and set two treatment times to 20 s and 40 s respectively, with each treatment time repeated 5 times.

[0033] 2) The parameters of the parallel - plate electric - field treatment are set as 16 kV, the plate spacing is 4 cm, and 20 g of the purple - cabbage seed samples to be treated are weighed for each group. Two treatment times are set, which are 10 min and 30 min respectively.

[0034] 3) Soak the treated seeds obtained in the above steps 1) and 2). The room temperature is set at 25 °C, the volume ratio of water to seeds is about 4:1, and soak for 2 h.

[0035] 4) Evenly place the seeds soaked in the above step 3) on the seed - raising tray paved with wet gauze, and place them in different areas according to different seed - treatment conditions for germination. 5) Place the germinated seeds in the above step 4) in a constant - temperature germination box at 25 °C, humidity 85%, and light intensity 40%, and spray water evenly every 8 - 12 h.

[0036] 6) Take the good growth of purple - cabbage sprouts that can reach the edible state as the standard for harvesting sprouts. Measure the germination rate, fresh weight, and stem length of purple - cabbage seeds under each treatment according to the divided areas.

[0037] Application Example 1: Characterization of seed germination rate: Under the cold - plasma device and the parallel - plate electric - field device, for seeds (white sesame, sorghum, toon, beet, purple cabbage) with different treatment times, when harvesting sprouts, count the number of germinated seeds among 100 seeds, record the germination - rate data, make 2 groups in parallel, and finally calculate the average value to obtain the germination rate.

[0038] Application Example 2: Characterization of seed growth rate: Under the cold - plasma device and the parallel - plate electric - field device, for seeds (white sesame, sorghum, toon, beet, purple cabbage) with different treatment times, randomly sample 30 at the time of harvesting sprouts, measure their stem length and fresh weight, record the data, make 3 groups in parallel, and finally calculate the average value to obtain the growth rates of stem length and fresh weight.

[0039]

[0040] The germination rate, stem length, and fresh weight of the above - mentioned seeds under different treatments are as Figures 1 - 15As shown. It can be seen from the figure that the seeds prepared by the method provided by the present invention have their respective advantages in terms of germination rate and growth rate (fresh weight, stem length). Seeds of different varieties require different treatments for growth in different indicators. There are certain differences in the promotion of seed germination by cold plasma treatment and parallel plate electric field treatment with different treatment times. However, from the analysis of all data results, it can be concluded that the promotion effect of cold plasma treatment on the germination rate is about 2% - 22%, and the promotion effect on bud length / bud weight is about 2% - 6%; the promotion effect of parallel plate electric field treatment on the seed germination rate is about 10% - 30%, and the promotion effect on bud length / bud weight is about 5% - 10%. The results show that the seeds treated with cold plasma and parallel plate electric field have an effective promoting effect on the germination rate and growth rate, which is beneficial to improving the germination characteristics of various sprout seeds and can be applied to the industrial production of sprout vegetables, with great application prospects and economic benefits.

[0041] The above shows and describes the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention; those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions in the specification are only preferred examples of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the present invention will have various changes and improvements, and these changes and improvements all fall within the scope of the present invention claimed; the scope of the present invention claimed is defined by the appended claims and their effects.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the germination rate and growth rate of sprout vegetable seeds by using an electric field, characterized in that: The method adopts cold plasma and parallel plate electric field treatment to promote the germination rate and growth rate of sprout vegetable seeds, comprising the following steps: S1. Select seeds that are full in shape, free of insects and mold, and remove stones and other debris; S2, seed treatment: cold plasma treatment voltage is 60 V, current is 1±0.2 A, treatment time is 20 and 60 s; parallel plate electric field treatment voltage is 20 kV, parallel plate spacing is 5 cm, treatment time is set to 10 and 30 min respectively; S3. Soak the treated seeds for 2-4 hours to accelerate germination, germinate and harvest the germination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: The seed soaking process in S3 is carried out at a room temperature of 25° C., with the volume ratio of water to the treated seeds being 4:1 for germination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: The seeds are evenly planted in a seedling tray covered with wet gauze for germination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: During the germination process, water is sprayed evenly every 8-12 hours, and the germination treatment is performed at a constant temperature germination box with a temperature of 25° C., a humidity of 85%, and a light intensity of 40%.

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