High Throughput System And Methods For Analyzing Liquid Formulations

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a high throughput system, apparatus, and methods useful for efficiently analyzing experimental liquid formulations applied to plants. In various embodiments, the high throughput system includes a liquid formulation dispensing subsystem (LFDS). The LFDS includes an automated moveable sample plate platform for holding at least one sample plate. Each sample plate includes a plurality of wells containing plant specimens. The LFDS is operable to sequentially position select ones of the wells at a well target location. Once a selected well is positioned at the target location, a micro-sprayer assembly, including at least one liquid formulation applicator, applies discrete amounts of a liquid formulation to the plant specimens within each selected well.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is schematic of a high throughput liquid formulation analysis (HTLFA) system for rapidly analyzing experimental liquid formulations applied to plants, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an exemplary soil jig included in the HTLFA system shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an exemplary seed dispensing device included in the HTLFA system shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an exemplary a liquid formulation dispensing subsystem (LFDS) included in the HTLFA system shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view of a moveable sample plate platform and a translation stage of the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the moveable sample plate platform and the translation stage of the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a sectional isometric view of a liquid formulation withdrawal assembly included in the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of a micro-sprayer assembly included in the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view of a liquid formulation applicator of the micro-sprayer assembly shown in FIG. 9, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the micro-sprayer assembly included in the LFDS shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with various other embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of an imaging device included in the HTLFA system shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A high throughput system for analyzing the effect of a liquid formulation on a plant specimen, the system comprising: a liquid formulation dispensing subsystem (LFDS), the LFDS comprising: an automated moveable sample plate platform for holding at least one sample plate including a plurality of wells and for sequentially positioning select ones of the wells at a well target location, a plurality of the wells having a plant specimen therein; anda micro-sprayer assembly including at least one applicator operable to apply discrete amounts of a liquid formulation to the plant specimens within each selected well when the selected wells are positioned at the well target location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one applicator comprises a formulation dispensing vertical position device operable to sequentially insert a spraying nozzle into each of the selected wells when the selected wells are positioned at the well target location.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the spraying nozzle is an ultrasonic spraying nozzle.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator further comprises a metering pump in fluid communication with the spraying nozzle for metering the discrete amounts of liquid formulation applied to each plant specimen via the spraying nozzle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the LFDS further comprises an automated movable liquid formulation platform for holding at least one vial rack having placed therein a plurality of rows of vials, the platform operable to position a selected row of vials at a vial target location, a plurality of vials containing a different one of a plurality of different liquid formulations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the automated movable liquid formulation platform is operable to sequentially position a plurality of selected rows of vials at the vial target location.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the LFDS further comprises a formulation withdrawal assembly including a valve assembly having a plurality of uptake probes extending from a bottom edge, the formulation withdrawal assembly operable to: insert each of the uptake probes into a respective one of the vials in the row of vials positioned at the target location;withdraw at least a portion of a selected one of the liquid formulations from a respective vial; andprovide the withdrawn liquid formulation to the micro-sprayer assembly.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the formulation withdrawal assembly further includes a formulation uptake vertical position device having the valve assembly connected thereto and operable to insert and withdraw the uptake probes into and out of the row of vials positioned at the target location.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the LFDS further comprises a computer-based controller for controlling the operation of the automated moveable sample plate platform, the micro-sprayer assembly, the automated movable liquid formulation platform, and the formulation withdrawal assembly.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an environmentally controlled growth cabinet for housing the LFDS and the sample plates containing the plant specimens.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an imaging system for evaluating the efficacy of the formulation.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the micro-sprayer assembly comprises a plurality of liquid formulation applicators operable such that while at least one of the plurality of liquid formulation applicators is applying discrete amounts of the at least one liquid formulation to the plant specimens, at least one of the other liquid formulation applicators is undergoing a flushing process.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each liquid formulation applicator comprises an automated dump drain operable to move between a stowed position for allowing the respective liquid formulation applicator to apply the liquid formulations, and a deployed position for allowing the respective liquid formulation applicator to undergo the flushing process.

14. An automated method for assaying the efficacy of one or more liquid formulations on a plant specimen, the method comprising: moving a sample plate platform supporting at least one sample plate including a plurality of wells to sequentially position selected ones of the wells at a well target location, each selected well having a plant specimen therein; andoperating a micro-sprayer assembly to apply discrete amounts of at least one liquid formulation to the plant specimens within each selected well when the selected wells are positioned at the well target location.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising: imaging the at least one sample plate after applying the at least one herbicidal formulation; anddetermining the efficacy of the at least one liquid formulation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the efficacy of the at least one liquid formulation comprises evaluating changes in the plant specimens using quantitative analysis of plant color and area.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises randomly selecting the wells to be sequentially positioned at the well target location.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises automatedly operating a formulation dispensing vertical position device to sequentially insert a spraying nozzle into each of the selected wells as the selected wells are sequentially positioned at the well target location.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the spraying nozzle is an ultrasonic spraying nozzle.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising: moving a liquid formulation platform supporting at least one vial rack having placed therein a plurality of rows of vials to sequentially position a plurality of selected row of vials at a vial target location, a plurality of the vials containing a different one of a plurality of different liquid formulations; andoperating a formulation withdrawal assembly, including a valve assembly having a plurality of uptake probes extending from a bottom edge, to: sequentially insert each of the uptake probes into a respective one of the vials in each row of vials as the rows are sequentially positioned at the target location;withdraw at least a portion of a selected one of the liquid formulations from each row as the rows are sequentially positioned at the vial target location; andprovide the withdrawn liquid formulations to the micro-sprayer assembly.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the micro-sprayer assembly comprises a plurality of liquid formulation applicators for applying the discrete amounts of the at least one liquid formulation to the plant specimens.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of operating a micro-sprayer assembly comprises: operating at least one of the plurality of liquid formulation applicators to apply the discrete amounts of the at least one liquid formulation to the plant specimens; andsubstantially simultaneously performing a flushing process to at least one of the other liquid formulation applicators.

23. A liquid formulation dispensing system (LFDS) for applying one or more liquid formulations to a plurality of plant specimens, the system comprising: an automated moveable sample plate platform for holding at least one sample plate including a plurality of wells and for sequentially positioning selected ones of the wells at a well target location, each selected well having a plant specimen therein;a micro-sprayer assembly including at least one liquid formulation applicator operable to apply discrete amounts of a liquid formulation to the plant specimens within each selected well as the selected wells are sequentially positioned at the well target location;an automated movable liquid formulation platform for supporting at least one vial rack having placed therein a plurality of rows of vials and operable to sequentially position a plurality of selected rows of vials at the vial target location, a plurality of the vials containing a different one of a plurality of different liquid formulations; anda formulation withdrawal assembly including a valve assembly having a plurality of uptake probes extending from a bottom edge, the formulation withdrawal assembly operable to: insert each of the uptake probes into a respective one of the vials in the row of vials positioned at the target location;withdraw at least a portion of a selected one of the liquid formulations from the respective vial; andprovide the withdrawn liquid formulation to the micro-sprayer assembly.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the liquid formulation applicator comprises a formulation dispensing vertical position device operable to sequentially insert an ultrasonic spraying nozzle into each of the selected wells as the selected wells are sequentially positioned at the well target location.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the liquid formulation applicator further comprises a metering pump in fluid communication with the spraying nozzle for metering the discrete amounts of liquid formulation applied to each plant specimen via the ultrasonic spraying nozzle as the ultrasonic spraying nozzle is sequentially inserted into each of the selected wells as the selected wells are sequentially positioned at the well target location.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the formulation withdrawal assembly further includes a formulation uptake vertical position device having the valve assembly connected thereto and operable to insert and withdraw the uptake probes into and out of the row of vials sequentially positioned at the target location.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the LFDS further comprises a computer-based controller for controlling the operation of the automated moveable sample plate platform, the micro-sprayer assembly, the automated movable liquid formulation platform, and the formulation withdrawal assembly.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the micro-sprayer assembly comprises a plurality of liquid formulation applicators operable such that while at least one of the plurality of liquid formulation applicators is applying the discrete amounts of the at least one liquid formulation to the plant specimens, at least one other liquid formulation applicator is undergoing a flushing process.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each liquid formulation applicator comprises an automated dump drain operable to move between a stowed position for allowing the respective liquid formulation applicator to apply the liquid formulations, and a deployed position for allowing the respective liquid formulation applicator to undergo the flushing process.

30. An automated, high throughput method for analyzing herbicidal formulations, the method comprising: moving a liquid formulation platform supporting at least one vial rack having placed therein a plurality of rows of vials to sequentially position a plurality of selected row of vials at a vial target location, a plurality of the vials containing a different one of a plurality of different liquid formulations; andoperating a formulation withdrawal assembly, including a valve assembly having a plurality of uptake probes extending from a bottom edge, to: sequentially insert each of the uptake probes into a respective one of the vials in each row of vials as the rows are sequentially positioned at the target location;withdraw at least a portion of a selected one of the liquid formulations from each row as the rows are sequentially positioned at the vial target location; andprovide the withdrawn liquid formulations to a micro-sprayer assembly;moving a sample plate platform supporting at least one sample plate including a plurality of wells to sequentially position selected ones of the wells at a well target location, each selected well having a plant specimen therein; andoperating the micro-sprayer assembly to apply discrete amounts of the selected liquid formulation to the plant specimens within each selected well as the selected wells are sequentially positioned at the well target location.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising: imaging the plant specimens within each selected well after applying the discrete amounts of the selected liquid formulations; anddetermining the efficacy of the selected liquid formulations by quantitative digital analysis over time.