Plasma technology within the agri-tech sector is a sustainable, chemical-free tool with the potential to improve crop production, plant health and fertiliser systems. Already widely applied in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing and electronics, plasma is now being investigated for its potential to deliver environmental and economic benefits across agriculture.
Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter — a charged, energetic state formed when gases like air are exposed to an electric field. When gas is energised to a certain point, electrons are stripped from atoms, resulting in a mix of free electrons and ions. This makes plasma electrically conductive and responsive to magnetic fields. Natural examples of plasma include lightning and the Northern and Southern Lights.
In agriculture, these can be used to treat seeds, reduce pathogens, promote plant growth or even synthesise nitrogen fertiliser. Most notably, plasma-activated water (PAW) and on-farm plasma-based fertiliser systems are emerging as viable alternatives to conventional seed treatments, pesticides and nitrogen fertilisers.