Non-Thermal Plasma Activated Water is an Effective Nitrogen Fertilizer Alternative for Arabidopsis thaliana

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of water treated with non-thermal plasma on the plant. Non-thermal plasma technology can be utilized to fix Nitrogen gas from the air to form nitrate in treated water. This allows for this plasma-treated water to be utilized as a fertilizer. Non-thermal plasma generation can be done sustainably, thus having a lesser impact on the environment, allowing for this technology to potentially supplement growing N-fertilizer demands. In order to evaluate both the efficacy of this water as a fertilizer and the underlying effects on the plant, the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana was treated with this water compared to solutions containing equivalent concentrations of nitrate. The effects on vegetative growth, hormone response, and transcriptional response were evaluated in short-term and long-term experiments.