CA2631804A1

CA2631804A1 - Process for production, growth and transport of plants in test tubes

Info

Publication number: CA2631804A1
Application number: CA002631804A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Rodney A. Savidge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-21
Filing date: 2008-05-21
Publication date: 2009-11-21

Abstract

The described process enables production, growth and long-distance transport of plants in small diameter plastic root tubes.

Description

INTRODUCTION
This brief three-page Description is provided in order to establish a filing date, and its Claims will be more fully specified within 15 months.

THE PROCESS
This new Process for which patent protection is requested includes the following steps:

1) Production of a plant rooted in a pre-sterilized, mixed soil having known proportions of sand, peat, clay, vermiculite and topsoil and a known nutrient supplement;

2) Preparing a plastic test tube having side walls capable of splitting apart as the root system growing within it increases in diameter;

3) Packing into the closed bottom end of the plastic test tube of step 2 pre-sterilized, washed and water saturated, green living Sphagnum moss to a known height;

4) Removing the plant from its soil and pruning as necessary the plant's long roots to a length such that the root system of the plant can be inserted into the plastic test tube of step 2;

5) Transplanting the plant with soil particles adhering to its roots into the plastic test tube of step 2 such that the plant's lowermost roots are in contact with the living Sphagnum at the bottom, closed end of the plastic test tube;

6) Inserting parallel to the plant's root system in the plastic test tube several stems of sterilized, water saturated, green living Sphagnuni moss such that the apical tufts of those Sphagnum moss stems are positioned near the plant's root collar and protruding from the top opening of the plastic test tube;

7) Adding additional sterilized moist soil comprising known proportions of sand, peat, clay, vermiculite and topsoil and a known nutrient supplement to the plastic test tube around the plant's root system and the inserted stems of Sphagnum moss, such that the root system in the plastic test tube is firmly contained by the soil;

8) Transferring the plant in the plastic test tube containing the plant roots, Sphagnum moss and nutrient-supplemented soil to a growth chamber, greenhouse or other controlled growing environment and allowing plant and Sphagnum moss to adjust to their conditions for a time;

9) Following the adjustment achieved during step 8, cutting off and disposing the bottom portion of the plastic test tube at a position where, after removal of that portion, green living Sphagnum moss stems protrude from the base of the remaining upper portion of the plastic test tube;

10) Inserting a narrow strip of water-conducting absorbent textile upward along the interior sides of the cutaway lower end of the retained portion of the plastic test tube, concomitantly applying pressure to the top opening of the plastic test tube such that the Sphagnum moss stems, soil and roots are partially compressed and only a few mm of the two ends of the water-conducting absorbent textile are protruding from the open base of the plastic test tube;

11) Standing the plastic test tube basal end down, such that the stem of the plant is upright, in a water-absorbent continually wet solid matrix containing a defined sterile nutrient solution;

12) Maintaining and transporting the test-tube plant of step 11 within a plastic container designed to accommodate test-tube plants within the water-absorbent continually wet solid matrix containing a defined sterile nutrient solution.

Qualifying Considerations Relevant to the above Process:
A. The proportions of sand, peat, clay, vermiculite and topsoil (step 1) can vary.
B. The kinds of clay, peat and topsoil used in the soil can vary.
C. The particle sizes of the sand and vermiculite used in the soil can vary.
D. The methods of mixing and sterilizing the soil components (step 1) can vary.
E. The chemical composition of the known nutrient supplement (step 1) provided to the soil can vary.
F. The concentration of the known nutrient supplement (step 1) provided to the soil can vary.
G. The test-tube size (length, diameter, shape) before removing its lower end (steps 2-8) can vary, and the size of the plant and the width of the plant's pruned root system can vary accordingly.
H. The species of Sphagnum moss used in both the lower (step 3) and upper (step 6) ends of the test tube can vary.
1. The time and conditions of adjustment (step 8) can vary.
J. The method of removing the lower end of the test tube (step 9) can vary.
K. The test-tube length remaining after removing its lower end (step 9) can vary.
L. The nature of the water-conducting absorbent textile inserted into the lower opening of the test tube (step 10) can vary.
M. The characteristics of the water-conducting absorbent textile (step 10) can vary.
N. The characteristics of the water-absorbent matrix (step 11) can vary.
0. The kind of plastic container used for maintaining and transporting the test-tube plants (step 12) can vary.
P. The Process is relevant to any plant including tree species having a root system or rhizomes that can be accommodated by the test tube.