## 3 Results and Discussion
Another possible reason for the subdued effect in broccoli could be that the RONS interaction with the seeds could not be uniform, with some seeds being overexposed to the reactive species formed during plasma generation [11]. In such a case, we recommend further research to optimize NTP and hydropriming treatment times to enhance broccoli seed germination and growth. However, an improved result was observed with the cucumber variety used. It is widely recognized that NTP generates various reactive oxygen species, which can exhibit disinfecting and stimulating effects on the seeds [16; 17; 18]. While the disinfecting properties help reduce the microbial load on seeds during germination--generally benefiting the early stages of growth--in cases of normal contamination, to which seeds are naturally adapted, the stimulatory effect induced by the ROS in plants becomes more pronounced. As frequently described, ROS primarily function as signaling molecules that indicate stress conditions in seeds [30; 31]. One of the possibilities for enhanced cucumber seed germination and early growth could be due to the promotion and regulation of different enzymes such as superoxide dismutases (SODs), catalases (CATs), and adenosine triphosphates (ATPs) [32]. Similar enhancing of cucumber germination and growth was observed by [PERSON] et al. [33] while using a different NTP apparatus with treatment times of 3 and 5 min. In our case too, it is possible that the RONS penetrate the seeds, modify the seed surface, and improve wettability, which was reported by [PERSON] et al. [33]. In response to the aforementioned stress, seeds often exhibit accelerated growth and improved vitality during the initial phases of germination, which can provide lasting benefits to overall growth and increase the plant's yield. In this context, [PERSON] et al. [34] demonstrated these effects through individual treatments as well as a combined treatment of salicylic acid and H\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{2}\), a long-lived reactive oxygen species generated during plasma treatment. This explanation is further supported by the observation that excessive stress can negate any stimulating effects; in fact, too much stress can weaken the seeds. In accordance with this, [PERSON] et al. [11] postulated that excessive exposure to plasma can render induced stress counterproductive, potentially reducing seed viability or even leading to their complete inactivation. In our study, the most significant potential advantage is the use of a portable, safe, user-friendly, low-powered NTP-generating apparatus. These features facilitate easy transportation for greenhouse growers and farmers as a pre-sowing treatment before field trials. Furthermore, this device is cost-effective, simple to construct, and comes with comprehensive documentation available for free [25]. This is the first time that the short-term storage effects of this NTP device with hydropriming combined with seed germination and its characteristics have been tested under laboratory conditions. The results indicate that this device has the potential to enhance both seed germination and growth characteristics. Additionally, it could also be utilized to decontaminate seed surfaces, providing a dual advantage over other techniques discussed. Thus far, functionality has been tested and demonstrated, but on specific varieties of two plant species only. It is important to note that different seeds may respond to plasma in a different way, even at the cultivar level [35,36]. Therefore, to better understand the applicability of this device, we recommend conducting rigorous studies with various seed varieties and species using this plasma device with hydropriming treatment and studying the effects of storage on the seeds post-treatment under laboratory conditions first and then scaling up to field trials.