Plant husbandry – Coated or impregnated seed – method or apparatus
Patent
1985-01-22
1986-12-16
Feyrer, James R.
Plant husbandry
Coated or impregnated seed, method or apparatus
249122, A01C 106
Patent
active
046286330
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to improving the germinativeness of plant seeds, particularly conifer seeds, by incapsulation, and more particularly to such a seed capsule as well as a method of preparing the same.
New forest stands are established by planting or seeding. Planting is an expensive procedure, although recently more rational raising and planting methods have been made use of with an increasing degree of mechanization. Seeding is cheaper but in return considerably more uncertain, and a relatively great number of seeds must be spread for the desired number of seeds to germinate and develop into plants. Inter alia due to the relatively high seed cost and the uncertainty of seeding, planting is at present the predominating method of forest-culture, and particularly the mechanization-suited "paper-pot" method, wherein plants are grown in pots of board or compressed peat having porous walls, through which the roots of the plants may grow out into the surrounding soil after the planting thereof in forest land. This method, however, often gives an entangled root system making the trees more susceptible to blowing down. There is much speaking for the fact that the simpler seeding procedure would get a much more extensive use if the germinativeness of the seeds could be increased and the seed cost thereby be reduced. In order to improve the germination conditions for the seeds and thereby reduce the necessary number of seeds to be sown, a method has been used to a certain extent wherein a smaller number of seeds, e.g. 3-4 seeds, are covered with a funnel or cone of a degradable plastic material which for a period of time will provide a greenhouse effect.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved germinativeness of seeds intended for direct seeding, such that the necessary number of seeds and thereby the costs for the seeding can be reduced to a considerable extent. According to the invention this is accomplished by providing each seed separately or possibly in groups of several seeds, e.g. 2 or 3 seeds, with a cover or capsule of a dry, hydrophilic material, which in itself is, or on water absorption, e.g., through capillary effects, swells and forms a loose, at least somewhat light transmitting structure, which can easily be penetrated by the growing germ. After seeding such a seed cover ensures favourable germination conditions for the seed (or seeds), providing the necessary germination components water, oxygen and light. The capsule or cover also gives a certain heat-insulating effect. With such a cover the germinativeness of i.a. spruce seed has proved to increase considerably, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.
Various cover materials may be used which meet the above criterions and which do not give off substances which are toxic to the seeds. As examples may be mentioned materials based upon peat, mineral wool, paper pulp, various synthetic materials, such as plastic, e.g. plastic foam, etc., alone or in combination. Particularly advantageous are, however, cover materials based upon compressed peat, optionally together with other ingredients, such as, for example, paper fibres. The cover may also be based upon particles or cover parts of a harder, water-insoluble material kept together by a water-soluble material.
The shape of the cover may vary. Thus, ball-shaped, oval, cubic, etc. covers or capsules may be used, but with regard to the handling thereof a substantially ball-shaped or pellet-like cover is preferred. Depending on the cover material--and the size thereof--it may in order to improve its keeping together and prevent it from littering be provided with a shell e.g., in the form of filter paper or the like, a net pressed into the surface, or by spraying with a suitable solution of binding agent, such as sugar syrup, wood fibre solution etc.
The introduction of the seed or seeds into the cover may be effected in various ways. For example, the cover may be made into halves or parts, at least one part or half of which comprises a suitable recess for the seed or seed
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patent: 3616573 (1971-11-01), Clifford
patent: 3659396 (1972-05-01), Baker
patent: 3688437 (1972-09-01), Hamrin
patent: 3690034 (1972-09-01), Knapp
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