System and method to improve the penetration of ultraviolet light into plant beds
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorFumiomi Takeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A strawberry treatment platform includes an outer housing with at least one UV-C light array enclosed in the outer housing, and at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly that extends downwardly from the outer housing. The strawberry treatment platform is structured so that, as the strawberry treatment platform moves across a strawberry plant bed, the plant manipulating assembly combs through the strawberry plants and creates a canopy gap in the strawberry bed plant canopy so that radiation from the UV-C light array treats the strawberry plants in the strawberry plant bed.
Claims20
A strawberry treatment system comprising:
- a strawberry treatment platform including an outer housing;
- at least one UV-C light comprising a UV-C light array, the outer housing encompassing the UV-C light array, the outer housing at least partially blocking an entry of ambient light into an area illuminated by the UV-C light array;
- and,
- at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly extending downwardly from the outer housing, the strawberry plant manipulating assembly creating a canopy gap in a strawberry plant canopy of a strawberry plant bed;
- wherein, as the strawberry treatment platform moves across the strawberry plant bed, the at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly contacts and directly manipulates strawberry plants in the strawberry plant bed to create the canopy gap in the strawberry plant canopy so that an area under the strawberry plant canopy is exposed to and treated by the at least one UV-C light array.
A method for treating strawberry plants, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a strawberry treatment platform comprising an outer housing;
- (b) positioning at least one UV-C light array under the outer housing;
- (c) providing at least one strawberry plant manipulating means under the outer housing and adjacent to the at least one UV-C light array;
- and,
- (d) moving the strawberry treatment platform across a strawberry bed canopy so that as the at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly contacts and directly manipulates strawberry plants in the strawberry plant bed to create a canopy gap in the strawberry bed canopy, the UV-C light array treats at least a portion of the strawberry plants below the strawberry plant canopy.
A system for treating strawberry plants, the system comprising:
- a strawberry treatment platform comprising an outer housing;
- at least one UV-C light array positioned under the outer housing;
- and,
- at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly positioned under the outer housing and adjacent to the UV-C light array;
- wherein as the strawberry treatment platform moves across a strawberry bed canopy, the at least one strawberry plant manipulating assembly simultaneously contacts and directly manipulates strawberry plants to create a canopy gap in the strawberry bed canopy so that the UV-C light array is positioned to treat at an area between the strawberry plant canopy and a soil line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.