Plant husbandry – Water culture – apparatus or method – Cultivating chamber
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-26
2001-02-13
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Water culture, apparatus or method
Cultivating chamber
C047S05810R, C047SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method for clearing fungal spores from seed and, more specifically, to a method of treating seeds with sound waves to clear fungal spores from seed.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Disease pathogens are a major cause of great financial loss for plant production. Fungal contamination at germination, plant growth, ear maturation, and storage results in large yield loss for the producer. Fungi will cause seeds to fail to germinate, create diseased plants, and create plants that fail to yield as much. Fungi, which flourish during the growth season, can limit the market availability of an entire producer's crop. In some cases, fungal contamination makes the crop worthless as food for humans or animals (e.g.,
Aspergillus
sp. and
Fusarium
sp. with corn). In the USDA publication, Biologic and Economic Assessment of Pesticide Use on Corn and Soybeans, an expert estimated the economic impact of fungicides to corn farmers alone at almost $1.5 billion as a result of yield loss that would occur in the absence of fungicides.
To inhibit fungal growth on stored seed and during germination, seeds are soaked in an anti-fungal agent, a poison, which renders the seed no longer available as a food stuff for humans or animals. In addition, this poison enters the environment. Additional methods which are used for decreased fungi loss are use of microbes, strict adherence to planting conditions, and genetic manipulation in addition to chemical means.
The problem is to eliminate or decrease fungal growth without adding toxins to the environment. Some plant hybrids are resistant to fungal growth, but selection for them has a performance cost and it is likely only a matter of time until fungal strains will develop that will overcome the plant resistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention consists of methods for clearing fungal spores from seeds. Seed to be treated is immersed in water and exposed to sound energy at frequencies between 15 kHz and 30 kHz for periods between about 0.1 and 15 minutes. The ultrasonic energy generates cavitational forces by the adiabatic collapse of micro-bubbles in the liquid medium, particularly those bubbles that collapse at the surface of the seed. The effect is substantially enhanced by saturating the water with a noble gas such as helium or argon, or combinations of inert gases.
Corn seed treated by this method has been found to have only one species of fungus remaining (
Penicillium
sp.) and have a decrease of 90% of fungal growth over controls.
A purpose of the invention is the treatment of seeds clear fungal spores from seeds to preserve a higher percentage of seeds to retain food use and allow germination which improves yield or improves quality of seed which improves yield.
These and other objects of the invention will be made clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading and understanding of this specification, the associated drawings, and appended claims.
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Alan E. Crawford, The Application of High Intensity Sound For The Stimulation of Plant Growth, Proceedings of The Institute of Acoustics, Aug. 1, 1989, 81-88, Springer-Verlag, Berkshire.
Weinberger, P., Anderson, P., and Donnovan, L.C., Changes in Production, Yield, and Chemical Composition of Corn (Zes Mays) After Ultrasound Treatment of the Seeds, 1979, 81-88, No. 16., Springer-Verlag, Berkshire.
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Daniels Karla J.
Soll David R.
Carone Michael J.
Davis Brown Law Firm
Gellner Jeffrey L.
Herink Kent A.
Rosenberg Daniel A.
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