Patent Application
20190230869
This is a first-filed application.
The present invention relates to the field of horticultural systems and methods. Particularly, the present invention relates to transportation of plant clones.
Plant cloning is a technique for asexually propagating plants where a cutting of the stem or root is used to produce a new plant independent of the parent. The plant cuttings for growing the clones need to be placed in a suitable medium or environment to cultivate the roots. One of the approaches for plant cloning is to use a aeroponic system. In this approach, the clones are cultivated in a closed or semi-closed environment by spraying the plant's roots with water or water-based solution. Aeroponic cloning systems provide many desirable advantages over medium-based growing systems. For example, aeroponic growing increases aeration and delivers more oxygen to plant roots, stimulating growth and helping to prevent pathogen formation and put less stress on the plants. Aeroponics can also limit disease transmission since plant-to-plant contact is reduced. Due to the disease-free environment that is unique to aeroponics, many plants can grow at higher density compared to traditional forms of cultivation. Aeroponics allows the whole process of plant cloning to be carried out in a single, automated unit, by initiating faster and cleaner root development through use of a sterile, highly oxygenated, and moist environment. Aeroponic systems also produce cloned plants with healthier root systems.
When plant clones are ready to be transplanted in the field, they need to be transported from the cultivation facilities, sometimes over a significant travel distance. Clones grown in solid cultivating media such as rockwool, peat moss, and coco peat are relatively easy to transport. The plant clones can be placed in a plastic tray with the cultivating media attached to their roots for transportation to the field. Since the cultivating media can hold moisture, the plant clones can survive in them over a long transportation. Once they arrive the field, the plant clones can be transplanted in the soil with the cultivating media attached.
A plant cutting which has not rooted can be placed into cultivating media by puncturing a hole in the medium and inserting the stem of the cutting. For aeroponic or hydroponic clones that have already developed root systems in a mist or liquid environment, however, inserting them into cultivating media are difficult. Currently there are no good solutions for transporting these clones.
Therefore, there is continued need for systems for transporting plant clones that have developed root systems outside solid cultivating blocks.
The objective of the present invention to provide a system for transporting plant clones that have developed root systems outside solid cultivating blocks. Examples of the clones transported by the system in the present invention include aeroponically or hydroponically cultivated plant clones.
In one aspect of the present invention, the transporting system comprises stem collars that hold the plant clones. These collars are designed to be used during the aeroponic or hydroponic cultivation as well as the transportation of the clones. The plant stem cuttings can be easily inserted into the collar and held securely in the cloning apparatus and in the transporting system. The collars are made of biodegradable materials. Therefore, plant clones can be transplanted to the field with the collars attached.
Another aspect of the present invention comprises a collar tray in which the stem collars are placed in. The collar tray comprises apertures into which the stem collars can be inserted. In some embodiments of the present invention, the stem collars have a shape of a truncated cone with a larger circular top surface and smaller circular bottom surface. The diameter of the top surface is slightly greater than the diameter of the receiving aperture of the collar tray and the diameter of the bottom surface is slightly smaller than the diameter of the receiving aperture. This way, the clone collar can be inserted snuggly into the receiving aperture without falling through.
Another aspect of the present invention comprises a portable tank on top of which the collar tray can be placed. The tank holds water or moist media such as rockwool, perlite, or other neutral media that can hold water to provide favorable conditions to the root systems of the plant clones, so that they can survive a long transportation.
In another aspect of the present invention, the collar tray can be used in a cloning apparatus with the stem collars. Once the cultivation process is completed, the collar tray can be removed with the stem collars and plant clones to be carried in one unit for transportation. This eliminates the time-consuming process of taking out the stem collar one by one from the cloning apparatus and putting them in the transportation unit. In addition, the collar tray is designed to be light weighted and can be constructed with a plastic material. It is easy to carry and may be disposable.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the collar tray comprises handles on its periphery to make it convenient to carry. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the handles protrude under the collar tray. The tank sidewalls have matching indentations at the top, so that the handle protrusions fit in the indentations when the collar tray is placed on top of the tank. The coupling of the handle protrusions and the tank sidewall indentations prevent the collar tray from laterally sliding over the tank and thus provide a more secure fitting.
The above invention aspects will be made clear in the drawings and detailed description of the invention.
Reference is now made to the following components of embodiments of the present invention:
In the detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these are specific embodiments, and that the present invention may be practiced also in different ways that embody the characterizing features of the invention as described and claimed herein.
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An embodiment of the stem collar 180 is illustrated in
In general, the stem collar 180 is made of a material that is not completely rigid. The slit 186 can be opened up a little wider with mechanical force, as shown in
The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred or example embodiments, and modes of assembly and operation, of the invention; however, the invention is not, and shall not be construed as being exclusive or limited to the specific or particular embodiments set forth hereinabove.
