JPH099783A - Decoration of ornamental plant and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a method for decorating an ornamental plant, capable of efficiently decorating the ornamental plant, artificially modifying the colors and patterns of the petals and leaves of the plant and enhancing the additive value to the plant without killing the plant by irradiating the plant with pulse laser beams to cause biochemical changes in pigments in the surface layers of the plant. CONSTITUTION: Pulse laser beams such as eximer laser beams 1 are irradiated on an ornamental plant 3 through a patterned mask 2 to cause biochemical changes in pigments in the surface layers of the plant 3, thus modifying the plant 3. It is preferable that the pulse laser beams do not give effects to deep layer cells important for metabolisms, as for the irradiated region of the plant 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for modifying ornamental plants, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for modifying ornamental plants using a laser beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional modification method of ornamental plants such as flowers and ornamental plants, there are known a method of breeding by manipulating plant genes and a modification technique found in bonsai technology.

An example in which a plant is irradiated with a laser beam is completely different from the object of the present invention. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-28618 discloses a simple structure and low cost for growing a plant. For the purpose of promoting plant growth, a plant growth promotion method has been proposed in which light containing a wavelength band below visible light, such as ultraviolet irradiation, is periodically flashed and irradiated to increase the growth rate of plants.

[0004] Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-207827 discloses that a pollen cell is irradiated with a laser pulse to form a fine hole,
A method for producing a transformed plant into which another genetic material is introduced has been proposed.

[0005]

The conventional method of breeding requires a large number of crossings to be repeated for a long period of time before the traits are established. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to significantly modify the color and the like.

Further, in bonsai, the aim is to suppress the growth of the whole plant and reduce its size in the same shape as the normal body, and the degree of freedom of modification has been limited to a small degree. Furthermore, in bonsai, there was a problem that it took many years to modify one plant.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to finish the modification in a shorter time than in the conventional ornamental plant modification method, and to set a higher degree of freedom in modification of the shape, pattern, color, etc. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for modifying ornamental plants.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by irradiating a plant with pulsed laser light to cause a biochemical change in a pigment on the surface of the plant. To provide a modification method of.

The present invention is preferably characterized in that the pigment on the surface of the plant is selectively decolorized to change the color of the flower and / or the leaf of the plant.

[0010] Further, the present invention irradiates a pulsed laser beam to a desired region of a plant to cause the plant to undergo a biochemical change of decolorization or coloring to form an arbitrary pattern and / or color combination. And a method for modifying an ornamental plant.

In the present invention, the plant may be irradiated with the laser light from a laser light source through a mask provided with a pattern.

Further, in the present invention, preferably,
An excimer laser is used as a light source of the laser light.

In the present invention, preferably,
A solid-state laser and / or a harmonic light source thereof is used as a light source of the laser light.

According to the present invention, there is provided a light source for outputting pulsed laser light, and a mask on which a pattern is formed and which passes the pulsed laser light through the pattern. An ornamental plant decoration device is provided, which is configured to irradiate a pulse laser beam from the light source through the mask to cause the plant to undergo a biochemical change of decolorization or coloring of an arbitrary pattern. I do.

Further, the present invention comprises a light source for outputting a pulsed laser beam, and a supporting member for rotatably mounting a pot or the like for supporting a plant, wherein the plant is rotated from the light source in a predetermined direction. The present invention provides an ornamental plant modifying device, characterized in that the plant is irradiated with the pulse laser beam of (1) to cause the plant to undergo a biochemical change of decolorization or coloring of an arbitrary pattern.

The present invention is preferably characterized in that the pulsed laser beam does not affect deep cells that are important for metabolism in the irradiation area of the plant.

[0017]

The operation and principle of the present invention will be described below.

According to the present invention, the whole or a part of the ornamental plant is irradiated with a pulse laser beam whose peak irradiation intensity can be set remarkably higher than that of sunlight, and the ornamental plant undergoes biochemical changes such as decolorization and coloring. In this way, the colors and patterns required for ornamental plants are modified.

At this time, it is necessary to appropriately set the irradiation intensity to such an extent that damage such as death of the irradiation target is suppressed due to temperature rise due to absorption of the laser beam.

For this purpose, a pulse laser beam having a high peak power, which is efficiently absorbed by pigments contained in petals and leaves and suppresses thermal effects on the periphery, is suitable.

When pulsed laser light is continuously applied, the average temperature of the irradiated portion rises, causing a change in pigment, and at the same time, water in the plant evaporates due to thermal action. Will wither.

On the other hand, in a pulse light source having a high peak power such as an excimer laser or a switch solid-state laser, a non-linear light source capable of obtaining an absorption coefficient much larger than a normal linear absorptance even when the average irradiation power is kept low. Due to such an absorption function, the substantial absorption length can be reduced to about several μm, and the pigment on the plant surface can selectively absorb the laser beam.

As a result, the pigment on the plant surface can be caused to undergo a biochemical change such as decolorization or coloring without affecting deep cells that are important for the metabolism of the cell structure in the irradiated part. .

As the wavelength of the pulsed light, visible light corresponding to the absorption wavelength of the pigments of petals and leaves may be used, or the wavelength of ultraviolet light having strong absorptivity may be used for all organic dyes.

The laser beam may be irradiated to petals or the like in one direction from a single direction, or may be uniformly irradiated as a diffusive beam by a scatterer or lens provided near the irradiation section. Is also good.

Further, when the laser beam is converted into a beam patterned by a mask pattern having holes, slits, and the like, and the petals and leaves are partially irradiated, the pattern reflecting the mask pattern can be modified.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0028]

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present embodiment employs a wavelength 193
Excimer laser light 1 emitted from an ArF excimer laser having a wavelength of 10 nm, a pulse width of 10 ns, a repetition frequency of 10 Hz, and an output of 10 W passes through a mask 2 having a large number of holes provided on the upper side of a plant 3 planted in a flowerpot 4. The structure is such that patterned petals and leaves are irradiated with patterned excimer laser light. Note that FIG. 1 does not show a support member of the mask 2 and the like.

The holes on the mask 2 were formed in a lattice with a pitch of 3 mm, and the diameter of the holes was 1.5 mm.

When a dark red rose is selected as a decoration object, when the excimer laser beam 1 is irradiated for about 5 minutes, the irradiated portion is decolorized and becomes white, and as a result, a rose flower having a red and white pattern may be formed. did it.

At this time, the irradiation intensity was about 1 mJ / cm ² , the coloring reaction was irreversible, and no inconveniences such as a return of the color after irradiation and the withering of the petals did not occur.

When the leaves of the houseplants are irradiated using the same irradiation system as in the present embodiment, the chlorophyll of the leaves is decolorized by irradiation with a laser beam and is patterned into a white pattern (through the mask 2). ) Could be formed.

[0034]

Second Embodiment Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 2 shows a configuration in which a pattern is formed by uniformly applying the laser light 1 to the petals 5 according to the present embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, excimer laser light 1 is uniformly applied to flower petals 5 planted in flower pot 4 from an oblique direction. The flowerpot 4 is arranged on a rotary stage 6 and is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed.

In the present embodiment, with such a configuration, the outer peripheral portion of the petal and the vicinity of the upper portion of the petal can be selectively bleached to form a beautifully shaped petal.

In the above embodiment, an example in which an excimer laser is used as a light source has been described. However, a wavelength from near infrared to red, green, blue, or the like may be used by using a Q-switch solid laser or its harmonic light. . For example, 0.7μ on red-purple rose petals
By using a titanium sapphire laser with a wavelength of m, light is absorbed only by the red pigment of red-purple rose petals, and by selectively decolorizing the red pigment, blue rose flowers that do not exist in nature Can be obtained.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but includes various embodiments according to the principle of the present invention.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Provided is an excellent ornamental plant modification method and apparatus that can artificially modify the color and pattern of petals and leaves without dying the plant in a short time, such as several hours, using a simple apparatus configuration. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 excimer laser beam 2 mask 3 plant 4 flowerpot 5 petal 6 rotating stage

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A method for modifying ornamental plants, comprising irradiating a plant with pulsed laser light to cause a pigment on the surface of the plant to undergo a biochemical change. 2. The method for modifying an ornamental plant according to claim 1, wherein the pigment on the surface of the plant is selectively bleached to change the color of flowers and / or leaves of the plant. 3. A method of irradiating a pulsed laser beam to a desired region of a plant to cause the plant to undergo a biochemical change of decolorization or coloring to form an arbitrary pattern and / or a combination of colors. How to decorate ornamental plants. 4. The ornamental plant modification method according to claim 1, wherein the plant is irradiated with the laser light from a laser light source through a mask provided with a pattern. 5. The method for modifying an ornamental plant according to claim 1, wherein an excimer laser is used as a light source of the laser light. 6. The method for modifying an ornamental plant according to claim 1, wherein a solid-state laser and / or a harmonic light source thereof is used as a light source of the laser light. 7. A light source for outputting pulsed laser light, and a mask on which a pattern is formed and which passes the pulsed laser light through the pattern, wherein the light source is provided on a surface of a leaf and / or leaf of a plant. An ornamental plant modifying apparatus, characterized in that the ornamental plant is configured to irradiate pulsed laser light from the plant through the mask to cause the plant to undergo a decolorization or coloring biochemical change of an arbitrary pattern. 8. A light source for outputting a pulse laser beam, a supporting member for rotatably mounting a pot or the like for supporting a plant,
Comprising, irradiating the plant with pulsed laser light from the light source from a predetermined direction in a state where the plant is rotated, to be configured to cause a biochemical change of decolorization or coloring of any pattern in the plant Characteristic ornamental plant decoration equipment. 9. The ornamental plant modifying apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pulse laser beam does not affect deep cells important for metabolism in the irradiation area of the plant.