CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Statement of the Problem: Soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex is one of the causal agents of soybean stem canker and pod and stem blight. It is well known that agrochemicals remain in the harvested products as in the fields and they disrupt the natural state of the microbiological flora leading to the formation of resistant strains. Taking into account the fact that storage provokes a deterioration of the biological quality of the seeds, the reduction of fungal contamination is of great interest. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Non-thermal plasma is a fast, economic and pollution-free method. It is based on non-ionizing low-level radiation, which can activate the vitality of seeds but without causing gene mutations. Soybean seeds were exposed to a multi filamentous dielectric barrier (Pertinax ? Mylar (P-M) and Thernophase (T)). Different gases (O2 and N2) were used to transport the active agents of the plasma. In this work we focus on the ability of the plasma to control Diaporthe/Phomopsis in soybean seed. Findings: The results showed a decreased in the presence of the pathogen and an increase of the germination percentage and vigour test on the seeds with plasma treatment (P-M: O2 2 min and N2 3 min and T: O2 3min and N2 3min) respect to the pathogen control. We evaluated different oxidative enzymes as well as lipid peroxidation in seeds. These results demonstrated an activation of the antioxidant defenses in soybean seeds reversing the oxidative damage caused by the fungi. Changes in the lipid composition of the seed membranes were evaluated. Conclusion & Significance: Plasma treatments were efficient in controlling Diaporthe/Phomopsis infection in soybean seeds. Therefore this innovative technology would allow a reduction of environmental contamination by agrochemicals in soil and water.