The application of CORONA discharge is proposed in continuous and semi-continuous processes for the finishing of cotton, flax, cotton/flax blends or other cellulosic materials, either in form of yarns, woven or knitted fabrics, in order to obtain complete hidrophilization and an increase of reticulation potential. The goal is to achieve easier and uniform wetting and impregnation with treatment products and an improved adhesion of resins and binders. The operations where CORONA discharge is included are desizing, alkaline treatment, bleaching, caustification, mercerization, dyeing, printing and final finishing treatments, namely softening, hydrophilization, easy-care, anti-shrinkage and fireproofing. Discharge is continuously applied in open width materials with controlled humidity and temperature, in the stages of raw, desized, bleached or finished. The materials moves with controllable velocity on a counter-electrode roll positioned at a small distance of an electrode, which is designed to produce a high voltage discharge in completely uniform conditions.