Process and apparatus for promoting the germination of plant seeds and the production of agricultural crops
AssigneeSeed-Tech Temed Ltd
InventorZeev H. Hittin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for promoting by light irradiation the germination of seeds and the growth of plants generated by the seeds. The seeds to be treated are irradiated with radiation that is a simulation of the solar visible spectrum. The radiation may have a wavelength range from about 400 to about 700 nm. The irradiating light may be pulsed, for example at a frequency from about 10 to 150 pulses per minute, each pulses having a duration from 0.1 to 0.9 seconds and the intervals between pulses having a duration about from 0.1 to 6.0 seconds. The seeds may be cooled while irradiating them, such as to maintain the seeds at temperatures not exceeding 35° C. Cooling the seeds may be carried out by means of a stream of gas.
Claims18
Apparatus for promoting by light irradiation the germination of seeds and the growth of plants generated by the seeds, which comprises:
- means for generating a light radiation that is a simulation of the solar visible spectrum;
- controllable means for impelling the seeds to travel through the apparatus;
- controllable means for applying to the seeds a number of radiation pulses of said light radiation;
- and
- means for controlling the duration of the radiation pulses and of the intervals between the radiation pulses.
Apparatus for promoting by light irradiation the germination of seeds and the growth of plants generated by the seeds, which comprises controllable means for impelling the seeds to travel through the apparatus, controllable means for applying to the seeds a number of radiation pulses;
- and means for controlling the duration of the radiation pulses and of the intervals between the radiation pulses, further comprising a rotatable drum, having inner projections for engaging and entraining the seeds as the drum rotates from a bottom to a top position and apertures for the passage of a cooling gas, wherein the inner projections comprise a plurality of longitudinal ribs and said apertures are formed in a permeable sheath stretched over said ribs, which permits the passage of the cooling gas.
Apparatus for promoting by light irradiation the germination of seeds and the growth of plants generated by the seeds, which comprises controllable means for impelling the seeds to travel through the apparatus, controllable means for applying to the seeds a number of radiation pulses;
- and means for controlling the duration of the radiation pulses and of the intervals between the radiation pulses, further comprising a rotatable drum, having inner projections for engaging and entraining the seeds as the drum rotates from a bottom to a top position and apertures for the Passage of a cooling gas, further comprising an elongated stationary envelope, coaxial with and enclosing the drum and of approximately the same length, which supports a plurality of rod-like, axially oriented, lamps, and mirror surfaces so shaped as to concentrate the light of the lamps into a narrow longitudinal strip, and comprising screen elements screening the radiation except in correspondence to said longitudinal strip.
Apparatus for promoting by light irradiation the germination of seeds and the growth of plants generated by the seeds, comprising:
- a light source for irradiating seeds with visible light simulating the solar visible spectrum in the range from about 400 nm to about 700 nm;
- controllable means for impelling the seeds through the apparatus;
- controllable means for selectively exposing the seeds to a plurality of radiation pulses from the light source at a frequency from about 10 to 150 pulses per minute and providing intervals between the pulses having a duration from about 0.1 to 6.0 seconds;
- and
- gas blower configured to apply to a stream of gas to cool the seeds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.