Changes in Agricultural Performance of Common Buckwheat Induced by Seed Treatment with Cold Plasma and Electromagnetic Field  
[PERSON]  
1 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Viteikos str. 8, 44404 Kaunas, Lithuania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.l. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Z.N. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.D.-F.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (R.Z. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (I.J.) Kauas Boltanid Garden, Vytautas Magnus University, Z. E. Zilbero str. 6, 46324 Kaunas, Lithuania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.l.) [PERSON]  
3 Institute of Pharmaceutical Technologies, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 50182 Kaunas, Lithuania; [PERSON]S] (V.J. ); [PERSON]L.I)  
Voke Branch, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, 02232 Vilnius, Lithuania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Agriculture, 58344 Akademija, Lithuania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Agriculture, 58344 Akademija, Lithuania; alyra. -phenolic substances exerting antibacterial and antioxidant activity [6]. These substances are important for plant antimicrobial properties and ultraviolet (UV) protection [7; 8; 9]. The presence of bioactive phytochemicals in buckwheat can lead to positive effects on health due to anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, hepatotoxicity, hypoglycemic, anti-allergic, anti-fatigue activities [6; 9]. Due to numerous health benefits, gluten-free buckwheat is considered as an important component of functional food [10; 11; 12]. The anti-glycemic effects of fagomine as well as the photosensitizer potential of fagopyrin are under intensive investigation [6; 13]. Although common buckwheat is able to adapt to difficult soil and climatic conditions, the production is greatly affected by a low seed set which results in low and unstable grain yield relative to the major cereals. Difficulties in genetic improvement and breeding through conventional methods are explained by the complex reproductive system of this crop, mainly due to the peculiar dimorphic and sporophytic type of dimorphic self-incompatibility [5; 14], or the indeterminate type of growth and embryo abortion [15]. In addition, seed setting in common buckwheat is dependent on the abundance of pollinators or frequency of flower-visiting insects [16; 17]. Recently, new reports on genomic interventions in buckwheat have emerged and it is expected that molecular breeding using integrative genomics and breeding could lead to successful genetic improvement of buckwheat [5; 18]. However, such molecular technologies are still under development. Different pre-sowing seed treatment modes have been used in agriculture to increase seed quality and crop productivity. Dormancy breaking agents including mechanical, thermal and chemical scarification, enzymes, dry storage, percussion, low temperatures, radiation and high atmospheric pressures are used to alleviate seed dormancy [19]. Other technique frequently applied to improve seed germination are seed priming or osmop priming by soaking seeds in water, salt or polyethylene glycol solution under controlled conditions for a specified period of time and then dehydating them [19]. Modern trends in sustainable agriculture involve the use of biostimulants, which are natural or synthetic substances or microorganisms applied with the aim to enhance plant nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and crop quality [20; 21]. A large variety of commercial biostimulants is currently available on the market that are applied in small quantities compared to fertilizers for improving plant productivity [22]. In addition, a large number of studies have shown that pre-sowing seed treatment with low-temperature plasma (cold plasma, CP) and an electromagnetic field (EMF) can improve germination, early growth and the further development of plants (reviewed in [23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29]).