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New agricultural air nitrogen fixing technology could result from Dr. Volkov’s plasma work

alexandre volkov
A new technology could come from Dr. Alexandre Volkov's experiments on plasma interactions with plants. Image courtesy of Dr. Volkov

“Increasing the yield and productivity of crops is a priority for farmers and agricultural scientists,” says Dr. Alexandre Volkov, a professor of physical chemistry and biochemistry at Oakwood University since 1998 and a Future Technologies & enabling Plasma Processes (FTPP) lead investigator.

That’s why Dr. Volkov has been working to explore the effects of the highly energized forms of gas known as plasmas on plants.

“My friend Professor Vladimir Kolobov from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) often talked to me about plasma physics and interested me in setting up experiments with the plants Venus flytrap, mimosa and aloe vera eight years ago,” says Dr. Volkov, who was born in Moscow, Russia.

That work resulted in three published papers. Further publication came from research into the mechanisms of plasma interaction with plants and seeds, and experimentation with multielectron chemical reactions and plasma interaction with water, biologically active substances and biological tissues.

“The experimental and theoretical results of our studies of the interaction of plasma and biological objects will find wide application in medicine, agriculture and a new economical and highly efficient air nitrogen fixation technology,” he says.

In addition to the potential cost savings from the new technology, Dr. Volkov says direct application of plasma benefits plants.

“In the field, we discovered that plasma increases plant yields,” he says. “The average weight of a cabbage bean, whose seedlings were treated with plasma, was 70% greater.”

He says FTPP funding has been crucial to his research efforts.

“Without FTPP support, I wouldn’t be doing plasma.”

resulting papers:

A. G. Volkov, K. G. Xu, V. I. Kolobov, “Cold Plasma Interactions with Plants: Morphing and Movements of Venus Flytrap and Mimosa pudica Induced by Argon Plasma Jet,” Bioelectrochem. 118 (2017) 100-105);

A. G. Volkov, “Signaling in electrical networks of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Ellis).” Bioelectrochem. 125 (2019) 25-32. DOI:10.1016/j.bioelechem.2019.04.012

A.G. Volkov, K.G. Xu, V.I. Kolobov, “Plasma generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species can lead to closure, locking and constriction of the Dionaea muscipula Ellis trap.” J. Royal Soc. Interface, 16 (2019)20180713 (1-12)

A.G. Volkov, J. S. Hairston, J. Marshall, A. Bookal, A. Dholichand, D. Patel, “Plasma seeds: Cold plasma accelerates Phaseolus vulgaris seeds imbibition, germination, and speed of the seedling growth.” Plasma Medicine 10 (2020) 139-158; DOI:10.1615/PlasmaMed.2020036438

A.G. Volkov, A. Bookal, J. S. Hairston, D. Patel, “Radio-frequency plasma capacitor induces seed’s electroporation and can increase rates of seeds imbibition and germination.” (2021) Functional Plant Biology, 48(3) (2021) 312-320; DOI:10.1071/FP20293

A.G. Volkov, “Cold atmospheric pressure He-plasma jet and plasma ball interactions with the Venus flytrap: Electrophysiology and side effects.” Bioelectrochemistry 140 (2021) 107833; doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107833

A. G. Volkov; J. S. Hairston; D. Patel, S. Sarkisov, “Cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet and plasma lamp interaction with plants: Electrostimulation, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and side effects.” J. Plant Science Phytopathology, 2023, 7, 081-088. DOI: 10.29328/journal.jpsp.1001110

A. G. Volkov, A. Bookal, J. S. Hairston, J. Roberts, G. Taengwa, D. Patel, “Mechanisms of multielectron reactions at the plasma/water interface: Interfacial catalysis, RONS, nitrogen fixation, and plasma activated water.” Electrochimica Acta 385 (2021) 138441; 07/20/2021; doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138441

A. G. Volkov; J. S. Hairston; G. Taengwa; J. Roberts; L. Liburd; D. Patel. “Redox reactions of biologically active molecules upon cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of aqueous solutions.” Molecules 2022, 27, Issue 20, 7051; doi: 10.390/molecules27207051