GB2471494A

GB2471494A - Container for growing and planting a treelet

Info

Publication number: GB2471494A
Application number: GB0911386A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Chambers
Original assignee: TREEPAK Ltd; C Questor Group Ltd
Current assignee: TREEPAK Ltd
Priority date: 2009-07-01
Filing date: 2009-07-01
Publication date: 2011-01-05
Also published as: GB0911386D0

Abstract

A container for growing a treelet comprises a central sectionH, a funnelAat a top end of the central section and a lower section having spikesLwhich penetrate the ground. A pair of legs is connected by means of a hingeKto the lower section. The container may be used for aerial planting of the treeletsD. When the container is dropped the legs acts may act as fins, stabilising the container. The funnel ensures that the container falls the correct way up. The legs may have feetBwhich are hinged to the legs. When the container touches the ground the legs are deployed so that the feet contact the ground. The legs may scatter seeds on deployment. The container may have a filterMat the top to keep out dirt and insects. The whole structure may be sterile and biodegradable, breaking down to a fertiliser after a few months.

Description

INTELLECTUAL

. .... PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. GBO9 11386.1 RTM Date:14 October 2010 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Treepak Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk Treepak Micropropagation Container Overview Over the whole period of human civilisation, the area covered by forest has been declining as a result of human activities. Increasing population, demand for farmland and timber, and expanding urban areas have all contributed to this decline, resulting in an annual net loss of tropical forest the size of Belgium, or approximately 9 million hectares.

Loss of trees is a major factor in increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere and consequent climate change, and is reckoned to be responsible for 20% of anthropogenic warming. The purpose of this invention is to speed up the process of the replanting of trees aimed at achieving an end to net deforestation. On current estimates, this will require in the order of 10 billion trees per annum to match current losses -not counting natural wastage. To take into account accumulated losses over a hundred year period, this would need around 60 billion new trees per year for twenty years.

Given the enormous scale of the task, conventional propagation and replanting techniques are proving to be inadequate for the task, especially in the more remote, less populated areas. The Treepak system will enable automated factory production of elite quality trees and other useful plants, and improve deployment logistics in remote areas. Once produced, the Treepak system is designed to allow rapid deployment from the air or other automated delivery system and to ensure that a high proportion of treelets survive (target >95%). The system is in effect a "tree incubator" to allow automated planting from the air or otherwise, and to ensure high survival rates of trees through the first few months of growth. The incubator function of the Treepak allows for planting with greatly reduced; or in some cases no preparation of the soil prior to planting. This advantage is further enhanced by planting from the air, which taken together results in very low levels of soil disturbance, compacting, and erosion. These advantages result in substantially less carbon lost from the soil, enhanced tree growth, and less silting of watercourses. The system is designed to accommodate either seeds, or cloned material, and to allow the production of a wide variety of elite quality plants so as to contribute to enhanced biodiversity.

Design Essentials of Treepak 1. The Treepak is designed to be manufactured and assembled out of sterile biodegradable polymers, and filled with its various internal gels, growing matrix, nutrients, tissue cultured cells, auxins and other substances using an automated sterile factory production line.

2. The Treepak is designed to be constructed, inoculated with tissue cultured plant material, held until plants form, then distributed by air all under controlled sterile conditions as part of an integrated and mostly automated system, with the materials of the Treepak biodegrading and turning to fertilizer once is protective role is complete.

3. The Treepak encloses the treelet in a protective environment providing protection from infection -viral, bacterial, and fungal, from insects and grazing animals, from competition from other plants, and from the damaging effects of weather.

4. Provides all essential nutrients and growth promoting agents in accessible form for the whole period the treelet is in the Treepak. The system also contains slow release nutrients, support matrix and delayed release auxins and plant growth hormones in a proprietary mix.

5. Provides a suitable amount of water -neither drying out nor flooding the treelet. This will require a mechanism for water capture and a drainage system to remove excess moisture. The system will further provide some degree of filtration to reduce exposure to virus, bacteria, fungi and insects such as might be gathered either in the air, or on the water gathering Treepak lid. Air will also need to be exchanged to ensure a steady supply of C02, and manage humidity.

6. The Treepak breaks down in a controlled fashion -ideally to substances useable by the treelet as fertiliser. This is essential to allow the plant to grow beyond the Treepak container, and to avoid adding persistent litter to the landscape 7. Manages light levels by providing sufficient shade to prevent what would otherwise be a small greenhouse turning into an oven. This is partly provided by the lid, but may be supplemented by varying the degree of transparency of the tube, or in certain versions, may have an additional component in the form of a mesh veil dropping down from the lid to provide additional shade.

8. Has sufficient structural integrity to survive being dropped from a helicopter, aircraft or airship at modest height.

9. Will put spikes into the ground on landing, and deploy "Lunar Lander legs" in order to remain upright.

10. Deploys defence mechanisms such as sacrificial seeds (could be nitrogen fixing ground cover) and pyrethrum insecticide in order to deflect attention from itself, and avoid being eaten.

11. All components of the Treepak with the exception of charcoal are made up of biological degradable materials such as biopolymers and plant based fibres, who's rate of breakdown is governed by predictable factors such as exposure to heat, moisture and ultraviolet light Components as per fig 1 & fig 2.

A. Water capture funnel shaped lid -also acts as a parachute when the Treepak is planted by dropping from the air, so controlling speed and orientation of impact. The lid, together with the legs use aerodynamic forces to ensure the container falls the right way up, and to ensure that once landed, the container maintains the right orientation. This lid can be in two parts -the inner filter section, and the outer funnel. This permits more efficient space utilisation in the factory. An alternative form would have the outer part of the lid constructed out of flexible materials in an umbrella like design, and closed down like an umbrella to save space whilst in the initial preparation for growth in the factory. (also shown in figure 3) B. Foot -part of a stabilising leg structure designed to retain the Treepak in an upright position after landing. This leg structure has an additional role in which it acts as a fin, stabilising the flight of the Treepak as it drops from an airborne planting platform into the soil.

C. Rotating hinge to bend foot, -part of the system which allows the leg to spring out from its stowed position. Said spring system will also shake out seed which will thus be distributed to the surrounding area. These seeds will either be eaten by pests in preference to the crop, or will deter their presence. Some seeds may also be included to fix nitrogen for the benefit of the tree.

D. Treelet -micropropagated tree or other plant growing in the Treepak container.

E. Overflow drainage system to allow release of excess water such as might be collected during heavy rain.

F. Leg and foot position after deployment G. Rotating hinge to bend leg -purpose as above.

H. Clear Plastic Growth Cylinder -this is a simple tube designed to allow connection of other components. The tube will ideally be made of degradable bio-polymers turning into fertilizer in due course. The tube can be prepared in different sizes, and can incorporate shading where conditions require it. This shading can be either of fixed opacity, or contain photo-reactive pigments, and would be achieved by adding chemicals to the liquid polymer. The polymer will also be either coated or impregnated with foul tasting substances to deter chewing by rodents and other animals, and substances to selectively kill or deter insect pests, and protect against fungal, viral or bacterial disease.

J. Growth medium -solid or liquid with nutrients, enzymes, delayed release auxins, saprophytic fungi, matrix materials to facilitate access to nutrients and such other ingredients as will support, encourage and protect the growing plant (Tree or otherwise). In the case of solid media, this would incorporate water absorbing gel.

K. Rotating hinge to bend leg -allows deployment of stabilizing leg so ensuring correct orientation is maintained after landing.

L. Spikes -The purpose of the spikes is to anchor the Treepak to the ground. The spikes will have sufficient sharpness, toughness and integrity to ensure penetration of topsoil, and prevent the container from breaking up on impact.

The spikes will further incorporate materials suitable to facilitate further growth of the tree as it breaks out of the Treepak container. The spikes will take the form of sharp serrated or spiked gripping edge -of suitable length and diameter, the upper half of which is filled with a loosely packed with a charcoal plug containing the supporting ingredients through which roots can grow. Two of the spikes will extend tip through the gel to permit drainage to occur through the base. Spike length will vary according to conditions at the delivery site. -soil type and soil depth in order to maximise penetration and stability whilst minimising shock and avoiding damage from stone strike.

Fig2&3 only M. Filter to keep out insects, dirt and general contamination whilst permitting irrigation by rain, and exchange of gas with the atmosphere.

Claims

Claims 1. The Treepak is a self contained and sterile tree incubator designed to facilitate the survival and growth of trees, bushes and other plants from the very earliest stages of cloned culture and growth.
2. The Seedling and/or plantlet planting container is impregnated or coated with materials which protect the developing tree or other plant from attack by insect, fungal, viral, or bacterial attack.
3. The system is designed to accommodate either seeds, or cloned material, and to allow the production of a wide variety of elite quality plants so as to contribute to enhanced biodiversity
4. The seedling andlor plantlet planting container is a cylindrical device with a sharp point or points to assist ground penetration.
5. The cylindrical upper body of the planting container protects the seedling andlor plantlet during early growth.
6. The legs and feet of the planting container act as vertical fins which together with the aerodynamic drag of the funnel lid ensure stable flight, upright ground penetration, and the retention of a vertical position until the tree / plant has ftilly established its root system in the soil.
7. The Treepak is designed to grow plants in sterile conditions (with the exception of deliberately introduced saprophytes) so as to exclude plant diseases, and facilitate the acquisition of plant health certificates.
8. The Treepak is designed for deployment by air; in particular the outer section of the lid is designed to serve a second function as a parachute, and the legs to deploy to ensure that the Treepak remains upright.
9. The leg of the Treepak is designed to store desirable seeds and to scatter them as the device is deployed.
10. The lid of the Treepak is designed to act as a parachute slowing its fall when dropped from the air.
1.1. The lid of the Treepak is designed to act as a parachute ensuring it remains the right way up.
12. Use of biopolymers and plant fibres in the manufacture of Treepak ensures that after the Treepak degrades residual materials pose no threat to the environment.
13. The fine filter built in the lid, and the charcoal plugs built into the base of the Treepak are designed to keep out disease causing organisms.
14. The use of a support matrix containing slow release fertiliser will facilitate growth.
15. The Treepak incorporates nutrient media, supporting matrix, and delayed release auxin to enable shoot and root formation in a single process 16. The Treepak is designed in modular form for robotic assembly.17. By utilising delayed release auxin within the culture media, the Treepak will permit growth of trees or other plants from liquid cell suspension to growing rooted condition without transplant or subculture.18. The Treepak is designed to permit automated production and deployment so allowing a far greater scale and rapidity of planting than traditional systems.19. The Treepak is an enclosed system designed to exclude to a large extent unwanted insects, small animals, bacteria, fungi and other contaminants.20. The Treepak will facilitate rapid growth by providing readily available nutrients in a slow release matrix which will prevent the nutrients from being washed away by rains.21. The Treepak product makes use of saprophytic fungus co-cultured with the tree achieving faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress.22. The Treepak product makes use of saprophytic bacteria co-cultured with the tree achieving faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress 23. The Treepak product makes use of saprophytic micro-algae co-cultured with the tree achieving faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress 24. The entire Treepak will be formed of materials designed for slow controlled breakdown, so that no part of the Treepak will remain to litter the environment after it has served its purpose.25. The Treepak materials will be broken down by heat, moisture, ultraviolet light and biological processes.26. The Treepak design will allow for the incorporation of shading in the tube and lid using chemicals added during manufacture to the liquid polymer.27. The Treepak design would permit the incorporation of photo-reactive darkening chemicals so that light levels are reduced most when light intensity is greatest.28. Darkening the Treepak in bright light conditions will prevent photo-inhibition 29. Darkening the Treepak in bright light conditions will reduce overheating of the plant 30. The shading chemical would offer the possibility of delaying the breakdown of the Treepak polymer by filtering ultraviolet light.31. The funnel on the Treepak will allow it to self irrigate during rainfall and to regulate water level inside the Treepak by an inbuilt drainage system.32. The Treepak will minimise evaporation by use of shading within the structure.33. The Treepak will absorb and store water in hydrophilic gels and activated charcoal.34. The Treepak will minimise evaporation by use of optional mesh shading hung below the lid so that the tree / plant.35. The legs of the Treepak are designed to scatter seeds on deployment.36. Seeds deployed from the legs will provide an alternative preferred food for pests which might otherwise consume the plants.37. Seeds deployed from the legs will provide plants whose presence deters pests.38. Seeds deployed from the legs will provide plants which fix nitrogen for the plant in the Treepak.39. The Treepak is able to contain or have on their surfaces substances which selectively kill or deter insect pests, so increasing survival rates for the trees and increasing average growth rate compared to other systems.40. The Treepak is able to contain substances which taste unpleasant to deter chewing by rodents or other animals, so increasing survival rates for the trees and increasing average growth rate compared to other systems.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A self contained sterile tree incubator comprising a funnel shaped lid with filter, a growth container, legs for support and hollow spikes for anchoring, with various mechanisms to regulate water, light and temperature and containing sterile gel or other cultivation media containing nutrients, auxins, delayed release plant hormones, saprophytic fungi and substances to minimise risk of plant disease or browsing.2. The tree incubator of claim 1 where the seedling and/or plantlet planting container is impregnated or coated with materials which protect the developing tree or other plant from attack by insect, fungal, viral, or bacterial attack.3. The tree incubator of claim 1 that accommodates either seeds, or cloned material by supporting either with suitable cultivation media tuned to the needs of the specific seed or cloned material to allow the production of a wide variety of elite quality plants so as to contribute to enhanced biodiversity 4. The tree incubator of claim 1 where the legs and feet of the planting container act as vertical fins which together with the aerodynamic drag of the funnel lid ensure stable flight, upright ground penetration, and the retention of a vertical Q position until the tree / plant has fully established its root system in the soil.5. The tree incubator of claim 1 that grows plants in sterile conditions (with the exception of deliberately introduced saprophytes), a condition maintained by means of using sterile culture media, a filter in the lid and activated charcoal plugs in the base so as to exclude plant disease agents, and facilitate the acquisition of plant health certificates.6. The tree incubator of claim 1 that can be deployed by air using the outer section of the lid as a parachute, and the legs to ensure that the device remains upright.7. The device according to claim 3 whereby the legs and/or feet store desirable seeds and scatter them as the device is deployed by shaking out seeds from hollow sections within the legs and/or feet as the legs spring out from the body of the device so that the seeds are thrown clear on impact with the ground.8. The lid of the device according to claim 6 acts as a parachute slowing its fall and ensuring it remains the right way up when deployed.9. Use of biopolymers, starch and plant fibres in the manufacture of the device in any of the claims so that it is biodegradeable.10. A fine filter built in the lid of the device according to claim 8 to allow air exchange, filter incoming water and keep out harmful agents.11. Charcoal plugs built into the base of the device in claim ito keep out disease causing organisms.12. The use of a support matrix in the device in claim 1 containing slow release fertiliser to facilitate growth.13. A free incubator that incorporates nutrient media, supporting matrix, plant rooting hormone and micro-encapsulated delayed release auxin to enable shoot and root formation in a single process.14. The tree incubator in claim 1 in modular form for robotic assembly.15. The tree incubator according to claim 14 that permits automated production and deployment for scale and rapidity of planting.
16. The tree incubator in any of the claims that is an enclosed system made of biodegradeable polymers.
17. The tree incubator in any of the claims that provides readily available nutrients in a slow release matrix to prevent the nutrients from being washed away by rains.
18. The tree incubator in any of the claims that uses saprophytic fungus co-cultured with the tree and incorporated into the cultivation matrix either free or Q in microencapsulated delayed form to achieve faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress.
19. The tree incubator in any of the claims that uses saprophytic bacteria co-cultured with the tree and incorporated into the cultivation matrix either free or in microencapsulated delayed release form to achieve faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress.
20. The tree incubator in any of the claims that uses saprophytic micro-algae co-cultured with the tree and incorporated into the cultivation matrix either free or in microencapsulated form to achieve faster growth rates and greater resistance to stress.
21. The tree incubator in any of the claims formed of materials designed for slow controlled breakdown.
22. Shading in the tube and lid of the tree incubator according to claim 1 using chemicals added during manufacture to the liquid polymer.
23. The tree incubator according to claim 22 that permits the incorporation of photo-reactive darkening chemicals so that high light levels are reduced most when light intensity is greatest.
24. A funnel on the tree incubator in claim 1 to allow the device to self irrigate during rainfall and to regulate water level inside the device by an inbuilt drainage system.
25. The tree incubator in claim 1 that absorbs and store waters in hydrophilic gels and activated charcoal.
26. A tree incubator according to claim 8 with optional mesh shading hung below the lid to minimise evaporation.
27. The tree incubator in any of the claims where the device contains or has on its surfaces substances which selectively kill or deter insect pests to increase survival rates for the trees and increase average growth rate compared to other systems.
28. The tree incubator according to claim 27 where the device contains substances which taste unpleasant to deter chewing by rodents or other animals to increase survival rates for the trees and increase average growth rate compared to other systems.
29. Use of a rotating hinge in the tree incubator according to claim 27 to bend the legs enabling efficient utilisation of space in the production plant with legs held tight against the container and wide spacing of the legs on landing for stability and a degree of shock absorption on landing.
30. Use of delayed release capsules or microencapsulation in the tree incubator to Q enable sequential deployment of plant rooting hormone and shoot inducing I-auxin to enable micro-propagation to go from cell inoculation using cells from a somatic embryo or callus to planted out plantlet in a single container.
31. Use of hollow spikes in the base of the device to provide drainage, egress for roots and ground penetrating support.
32. Use of biologically derived biodegradeable polymers, pigments and fibres together with charcoal for all parts of the device.
33. In alternate form, use of a funnel shaped lid that folds upwards like an inverted umbrella.