Method and system for the treatment of seeds and bulbs with ozone
AssigneesLaboratories Goemar S.A., Degremont
InventorsJean-Claude Yvin, Christian Coste
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for improving the germination of seeds or the growth of bulbs in which, prior to planting, the seeds or bulbs are placed into contact with gaseous ozone and the residual moisture content of the seeds or bulbs is adjusted before or simultaneously with the ozone contact to a value in the range of 5 to 60% by weight. The seeds or bulbs produced thereby are suitable for storage without any additional drying step.
Claims11
A method for improving the germination of seeds or the growth of bulbs, comprising, prior to planting, placing said seeds or bulbs into contact with gaseous ozone as a sole oxidizing agent, and adjusting residual moisture content of said seeds or bulbs before or simultaneously with the placing into contact with ozone, to a value in the range of 5% to 60% by weight of the seeds or bulbs, the seeds or bulbs thereby being suitable for storage without any additional drying step.
An apparatus for treating seeds of bulbs, comprising:
- a means for generating gaseous ozone;
- a reactor for containing seeds or bulbs to be treated;
- means for adjusting the seeds or bulbs in the reactor to a residual moisture content of 5 to 60% by weight;
- and
- means connecting the means for generating gaseous ozone to the reactor for treating the seeds or bulbs in the reactor at a residual moisture content of 5 to 60% by weight with gaseous ozone,
- the seeds or bulbs treated in the reactor being suitable for storage without additional drying.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.