Inactivation of the tomato pathogen cladosporium fulvum by an atmospheric-pressure cold plasma jet

Plant diseases resulting from plant pathogens are profoundly affecting crops worldwide. In this study, the tomato pathogen Cladosporium fulvum (C. fulvum) have been inactivated by using the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ). The results show that the inactivation efficiencies of C. fulvum are dependent on the plasma density and treatment time. The APPJ with a relatively high plasma density can completely kill the resistant C. fulvum within the treatment time of 60 s. Due to plasma generating electrostatic force, the outer membrane of C. fulvumis disrupted and the cytoplasm is released to the surrounding medium. Both protein and DNA molecules can be destroyed during the plasma inactivation. Meanwhile, the APPJ can also provide a novel approach to decrease the rotting rates of C. fulvum-infected tomato seeds.