RU2803523C1 - System for collecting and concentrating root exudates of allelopathically active plants - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: plant growing.

SUBSTANCE: system for collecting and concentrating root exudates of allelopathically active plants consists of containers for plants fixed on a support with the possibility of height adjustment, filters for large and small particles, a peristaltic pump with a control unit, a root exudate filter with a compartment filled with an adsorbent. The system additionally includes: a pH meter permanently installed in at least one plant container, a conductivity meter installed in the root exudate filter, at least one LED lamp for illuminating plants, and a water tank.

EFFECT: increase in the amount of obtained substances contained in the root system of allelopathically active plants.

4 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of agriculture and can be used for collecting and concentrating root secretions of allelopathically active plants to study secondary plant metabolites when studying interactions between cultivated and weed plants, the phenomenon of autointoxication during long-term cultivation of perennial plants in one place (such as clover, oriental goat's rue , miscanthus, etc.), the mechanism of allelopathy during the introduction of alien (introduced) plant species and ergasiophytes (fugitives from cultivation, for example, Sosnovsky's hogweed) into natural plant communities.

There is a known method for growing plants and a device for growing plants (patent RU 2086102 C1), designed to improve the conditions for plant growth. It consists of a number of containers, the bottom of which has the shape of a glass with a drainage hole in the bottom, and the intermediate container and the upper container are made in the form of pipe sections with open lower and upper ends. The cross-sectional size of the containers increases, and their height decreases from the lower container to the upper one. The lower, intermediate and upper containers are placed one inside the other in the form of a telescopic connection and have a conical or pyramidal shape, with their larger base facing upward. The main disadvantage of this device is the inability to obtain secondary plant metabolites. This is due to the design features of the device.

The closest to the proposed invention in terms of the totality of essential features is a device for collecting root exudates of allelopathically active plants (Skorokhodova A.N., Ivanitskikh A.S., Larikova Yu.S., Skorokhodov D.M. Technologies and technical means of mechanized production of crop products and Animal Husbandry. 2019. No. 4 (101), pp. 86-94.), intended for obtaining root exudates and allowing for extraction, concentration and study of secretions from the root system of various plants. It consists of a plant container mounted on a fixed stationary support, an adjustable fastening device that allows you to configure the configuration of the device for ease of use, filters for small and large particles to prevent the entry of various large and small contaminants into the solution of root secretions, a peristaltic pump designed for maintaining a constant water flow inside the device, control unit, root exudate filter with a compartment with adsorbent, special hole, power supply. The main disadvantage of this device is the inability to pre-purify water, control the pH and electrical conductivity of the solution used.

An analysis of known design solutions has shown that a technical problem in this area is the need to pre-purify water and control the pH and electrical conductivity of the solution used.

The technical result is to increase the release and collection of the maximum amount of obtained substances contained in the root system of allelopathically active plants.

To solve the technical problem and obtain the specified technical result, a system is proposed for collecting and concentrating root secretions of allelopathically active plants. This system is equipped with containers for plants mounted on a fixed stationary support, adjustable fastening devices that allow you to configure the necessary configuration of the device for ease of operation and placing all containers for plants at the same level (at a level that may be part of the system), a pre-cleaning filter and a filter of small particles, to prevent the entry of various contaminants of large and small fractions into the solution of root secretions, a peristaltic pump, which allows you to obtain a flow of solution at the required specified speed and prevent possible injury to the roots of the plants used, a control unit for a peristaltic pump, a compartment with an adsorbent, a water tank , a power supply, a conductometer and a stationary pH meter, which allows you to monitor the pH state and electrical conductivity of the solution throughout the entire growing season of plants, at least one lamp for lighting the plants.

The lamp for lighting plants can be made in the form of an LED lamp or a high-pressure sodium lamp.

The control unit can be configured to adjust the speed of water flow created by the peristaltic pump and the lighting of the lamps depending on the readings of the pH meter and conductivity meter.

The proposed solution is illustrated by the figure, which shows a diagram of a system for collecting and concentrating root secretions of allelopathically active plants.

The system consists of containers for plants 1, mounted on a fixed stationary support 2, an adjustable fastening device 3, which allows configuration of the device for ease of operation, as well as placing containers for plants 1 on the same level, a pre-cleaning filter 4 and a fine particle filter 5 to prevent the entry of various contaminants of large and small fractions into the solution of root exudates, a water tank 6, a peristaltic pump 7, designed to maintain a constant water flow inside the system, the uniform operation of which allows you to obtain a flow of solution at the required specified speed, which will ensure high-quality release of root exudates from the surface of the root system of plants, and will also prevent possible injury to the roots of the plants used, control unit 8 for controlling the speed of water flow and lighting. The system also contains a root exudate filter 9 with a compartment with an adsorbent 10, where the collection and concentration of plant root exudates from containers with plants 1 is carried out, at least one stationary pH meter 11, which allows you to monitor the pH state of the solution throughout the entire growing season of plants, a power supply 12 providing power to the device with electrical energy, at least one LED lamp 13 providing lighting for plant growth, a stationary conductometer 14 located in the root exudate filter 9 and providing control over the electrical conductivity and concentration of the solution.

The device operates according to the following algorithm.

Plants 15 - donors of root exudates are planted in containers for plants 1, which are filled with a neutral substrate - perlite or expanded clay.

Containers for plants 1 are adjusted by fastening device 3 in height and, preferably, in level.

Then, from the water tank 6, by means of a peristaltic pump 7, through a pre-filter 4, water is supplied to the plant containers 1.

Next, the water washes the root system of the plants and enters the fine particle filter 5, where various mechanical impurities are removed from it. In this case, water, after the pre-filter 4, can be supplied in parallel to each container for plants 1, or supplied sequentially, as shown in the figure, i.e. water leaving the first plant container 1 passes through a fine particle filter 5 and enters the second plant container 1, etc.

Finally, all the water with root exudates dissolved in it ends up in the root exudate filter 9, with a compartment filled with adsorbent 10, where their absorption occurs.

After this, from the root exudate filter 9, water returns to tank 6, closing the cycle.

The peristaltic pump 7 is controlled by the control unit 8 and forces water to circulate through the closed system at a certain speed.

During the operation of the system, macro- and microelements necessary for plants for normal growth are added to the water, which will not be subject to sorption.

Also, in at least one container for growing plants 1, a stationary pH meter 11 is installed, which controls the pH of the solution throughout the entire growing season of plants, which partly controls plant growth by changing the pH (adjusting the addition of macro- and microelements, reducing carbon dioxide), and, consequently, their secretion into root exudates of plants.

In addition, a stationary conductometer 14 is installed in the root exudate filter 9, which monitors the concentration of the solution.

Thanks to the presence of a conductometer 14 and a pH meter 11 in the system, it is possible to regulate plant growth and identify the connection with root secretions.

To obtain a solution of root exudates, it is necessary to remove the compartment with adsorbent 10 from the root exudates filter 9 and rinse it with an appropriate solvent (depending on the type of adsorbent). Thus, we obtain a solution of plant root exudates, which are used to study secondary metabolites. The device is powered by electrical energy using power supply 12.

The principle of operation of the device is based on the adsorption of root secretions using various absorbing substances - activated carbon, sorbents of organic and inorganic substances, ion exchange resins.

The operation of the device is based on the phenomenon of absorption (Latin absorptio from absorbere - to absorb) - the absorption of sorbate by the entire volume of the sorbent.

Root exudates of plants are substances of a completely diverse chemical nature, therefore, to collect them it is necessary to use universal absorbents. A device for obtaining root exudates allows for the extraction, concentration and study of secretions from the root system of allelopathically active plants.

Compared to the prototype, the proposed device has the following advantages:

1. Water purification using a water pre-purification filter.

2. Monitoring the pH of the solution throughout the entire growing season of plants.

3. Collection of root secretions of allelopathically active plants, due to the absorption of secondary metabolites of the root system.

4. Identification of the maximum amount of obtained substances contained in the root system of allelopathically active plants.

Claims (11)

1. A system for collecting and concentrating root exudates of allelopathically active plants, containing: - container for water, - peristaltic pump with control unit, - pre-cleaning filter, - containers for plants, mounted on a support with the ability to adjust in height, - a fine particle filter located at the outlet of each plant container, - root excretions filter with a compartment filled with adsorbent, characterized in that the system additionally includes a pH meter permanently installed in at least one container for plants, a conductometer installed in the root exudate filter, and at least one lamp for illuminating the plants, controlled by the specified control unit. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one plant lighting lamp is an LED lamp. 3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one plant lighting lamp is a high-pressure sodium lamp. 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit is configured to adjust the speed of water flow created by the peristaltic pump and the lighting of the lamps depending on the readings of the pH meter and conductometer.