Changes in silver birch biochemical profiles and leaf-associated fungi across genetic markers induced by seed treatment with DBD plasma

Cesniene, Ieva; Cesna, Vytautas; Mildaziene, Vida; Miskelyte, Diana; Ivanauskas, Liudas; Marksa, Mindaugas; Menkis, Audrius; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu; Sirgedaite-Seziene, Vaida

doi:10.1016/j.stress.2025.101077

Research article2025Peer reviewedOpen access

Changes in silver birch biochemical profiles and leaf-associated fungi across genetic markers induced by seed treatment with DBD plasma

Cesniene, Ieva; Cesna, Vytautas; Mildaziene, Vida; Miskelyte, Diana; Ivanauskas, Liudas; Marksa, Mindaugas; Menkis, Audrius; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu; Sirgedaite-Seziene, Vaida

Abstract

New approaches are needed in the forestry sector to improve tree resistance to various biotic and abiotic stress factors and mitigate their negative impacts on forest health. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seed treatment with the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the changes in biochemical processes and fungal communities of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), considering tree half-sib families. The potential of DBD plasma treatment for the modulation of birch seedling properties was estimated in seven selected half-sib families by analysis of the composition of biochemical compounds (from first and second vegetation leaf samples) and fungal communities (from second vegetation leaf samples). Seed treatment with DBD plasma has potential to enhance bioactive compounds, reduce fungal pathogens, thereby improving silver birch seedling traits. The families 73 and 86 demonstrated the most distinct responses to 2-minute-DBD plasma treatment. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, APX, and GR) increased by-50 % in the 73 family (the first vegetation), and by-39 % in the 86 family (the second vegetation). The increase in flavonoid (by similar to 44 % in the first vegetation and by similar to 30 % in the second vegetation) and photosynthetic pigment amounts (by-55 % in the first vegetation and by-60 % in the second vegetation) was also determined. The family 86 exhibited a reduced relative abundance of the most abundant pathogen, Phyllactinia betulae. In the current study, the effect of silver birch seed treatment with DBD plasma on leaf samples was investigated at multiple levels, including biochemical, metagenomic, and genetic aspects.

Keywords

Defense; Genetic properties; Molecular biology; Plant priming; Tree stress

Published in

Plant Stress
2025, volume: 18, article number: 101077
Publisher: ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

Menkis, Audrius
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2025.101077

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/144496