Effect of pilot scale electric field system processing on the quality characteristics and seed vigour of cucumber, wheat and corn seeds

Seed quality is very important for crop production. Chemical applications are one of the most widely used methods to improve seed quality. However, chemical applications often damage the seeds and reduce their germination ability. Therefore, in order to prevent seed disinfection and quality loss, practical and environmentally friendly economic technologies that do not harm the ecological environment and natural resources as well as do not carry adverse effects on human health need to be pursued. For this purpose, pulsed electric fields (PEF) with 1-8 cycles at 100-300 Hz frequencies to corn, wheat grains and cucumber seeds were applied to determine effects of applied PEF parameters on seeds quality parameters and inactivation of endogenous microflora. Complete inactivation on TAMB was observed on corn grains after 6.00, 2.82, 22.56, 18.00 and 28.80 J AEA applications The highest amount of inactivation of 1 log cfu/g on TMY count was achieved with 28.80 J energy application. The highest amount of inactivation with 0.97 and 1.15 log cfu/g decrese on the mean initial TAMB and TMY counts were achieved with 28.8 J and 17.28 J PEF applications on wheat grains and cucumber seeds, respectively. The highest decrease in the number of Aspergillus parasiticus inoculated at 105-106 cfu/g on the surface of wheat grains and cucumber seeds were enumared as 0.96 and 1.27 log cfu/g after 3.21 J and 10.88 J PEF applications, respectively. The highest reduction in the mean initial A. parasiticus inactivation in corn seeds was enumared as 1.15 log cfu/g with 25.44 J PEF application. It was observed that regardless of the treated seeds and grains, PEF applications provided significantly higher germination ability. Moreover, PEF-treated seeds were more resistant to cold and salinity stresses. When the electrical conductivity of the seeds was examined, the electrical conductivity values were significantly increased by the measurement time rather than that of the PEF treatment, and the samples at the end of 24 hours had significantly higher conductivity values than that of the measurements made after both 4th and 8th hours. Therefore, the data obtained revealed that PEF technology can be used for seed surface disinfection and improvement of seed vigour.