Agricultural methods with superheated steam
OwnerClaude E. Browninventor
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Abstract
Methods for treating plants and fields in agricultural applications are provided by selective delivery of superheated steam. Particularly preferred applications include delivery adjacent to grape vine leaves in order to defoliate basal leaves and to kill localized insect pests, and by injecting superheated steam in strawberry beds prior to planting to kill nematodes. The superheated steam is delivered at temperatures in excess of about 250.degree. F.
Claims18
An agricultural method for in the field use, comprising:
- generating steam in a first steam generator, the steam having water droplets therein;
- removing substantially all the water droplets from the steam so as to form saturated steam substantially free of water droplets;
- heating the supersaturated steam to at least about 300.degree. F. in a second steam generator to form superheated steam;
- and,
- selectively delivering sufficient of the superheated steam to soil in a field to kill undesired organisms.
A preplant treatment method for fields, comprising:
- generating steam in a first steam generator, the steam having water droplets therein;
- removing substantially all the water droplets from the steam so as to form saturated steam substantially free of water droplets;
- heating the supersaturated steam to at least about 300.degree. F. in a second steam generator to form superheated steam;
- and,
- selectively delivering sufficient of the superheated steam to soil in the field prior to planting to kill nematodes therein, the superheated steam being delivered at a temperature above 250.degree. F.
A method for defoliating grape vines comprising:
- generating a flow of superheated steam;
- and,
- delivering the flow of superheated steam to basal leaves adjacent to developing grape berries.
A method for treating raisin grapes or prune plums in the field, comprising:
- generating a flow of superheated steam, the superheated steam having a drying adjuvant entrained therein;
- and,
- delivering the flow of superheated steam to the raisin grapes or prune plums.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.