PLASMASEED
- Start of the project : 01-11-20
- End of project : 31-10-23
The overall objective of the PLASMASEED project is to develop an innovative and sustainable solution for decontaminating and improving the quality of seeds, primarily for use in organic farming. This solution will make it possible to reduce the quantities of phytosanitary products used, and therefore to reduce the exposure of users to these products and residues. It is therefore a question of offering both professionals and private individuals high-performance seeds of high sanitary quality, while reducing the impact of agricultural activity on the population and the environment.
In practice, the project aims to identify the mechanisms of interaction between plasma and micro-organisms, but also with the surface of the seed itself, focusing on two types of seed: wheat and barley.
The programme will also consist of a global approach including the understanding of the plasma/seed interaction and linking these effects to the decontamination performance while evaluating in parallel the effect on seed germination.
In a second phase, once the proof of concept has been established, the process could be extended to other seed varieties or even other forms such as potatoes (in order to overcome sanitary problems in storage or for export).
The project thus presents a serious alternative to the use of phytosanitary products, and proposes to obtain economic data on the benefits of the treatment on the conservation and germination and cultivation of the targeted seeds. The project focuses on organic farming, which represents an added value for traditional farms. In particular, organic cereal crops can guarantee a healthy product for human and animal consumption, but also for use in the processing of products with high added value (e.g. organic barley and wheat).
Objectives and missions of Materia Nova
Within the consortium, Materia Nova is developing the plasma system, carrying out the plasma treatments of the seeds and characterising them from a physicochemical point of view.
The consortium
Ionics, Carah ASBL, Condorcet, Materia Nova.