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US 6,809,819 B1Granted
Methods for determining oil in seeds
AssigneeMonsanto Technology LLC
InventorsDutt V. Vinjamoori, Pradip K. Das, John A. Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods for analyzing agricultural products. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for analysis of the oil content of one or more seeds.
Claims81
A method for determining oil content of a seed comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from a seed using a solvent;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- and,
- determining said oil content based on said reflected light.
3 more elements
A method for determining oil content of a sample comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from a sample using a solvent;
- separating said solvent from said sample;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- and,
- determining said oil content based on said reflected light.
4 more elements
A method for determining oil content of an agricultural product comprising the steps of:
- disrupting said agricultural product to produce ground product;
- extracting oil from said ground product using a solvent;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- determining said oil content based on said reflected light.
3 more elements
A method for determining oil amount within a solvent/oil mixture, comprising the steps of:
- evaporating said solvent/oil mixture in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- and,
- determining said oil amount based on said reflected light.
2 more elements
A method for determining oil amount within a solvent/oil mixture, comprising the steps of:
- introducing said solvent/oil mixture into a solvent carrier to form a processing solvent;
- evaporating said processing solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- and,
- determining said oil amount based on said reflected light.
3 more elements
A method for selecting a seed having an enhanced oil content, comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from a seed using a solvent;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- determining oil content of the seed based on said reflected light;
- and,
- selecting a seed with a similar genetic background to said seed based on said determined oil content.
4 more elements
A method of introgressing a trait into a plant comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from a seed using a solvent;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- determining said oil content based on said reflected light;
- selecting a seed with a similar genetic background to said seed based on said determined oil content;
- growing a fertile plant from said selected seed;
- and,
- utilizing said fertile plant as either a female parent or a male parent in a cross with a second plant.
6 more elements
A method for determining oil content of a seed comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from a seed using a solvent;
- nebulizing said solvent containing said extracted oil under high pressure into a device capable of evaporating said solvent;
- evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas in said device to form oil particles;
- directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- detecting said reflected light;
- determining said oil content based on said reflected light.
3 more elements
A method for selecting a seed having an enhanced oil content, comprising the steps of:
- a) extracting oil from a seed using a solvent;
- b) evaporating said solvent in a stream of gas to form oil particles;
- c) directing light into said stream of gas and said oil particles, thereby forming reflected light from the oil particles;
- d) detecting said reflected light;
- e) determining said oil content based on said reflected light;
- f) repeating steps a) through e) one or more times, and,
- g) selecting one or more seeds based on said oil content.
4 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a nebulizer that mixes a stream of gas with a mixture comprising a solvent and oil to create a dispersed spray;
- a drift tube that receives the dispersed spray and within which the solvent evaporates leaving dispersed particles of the oil flowing in the stream of gas;
- a source of emitted light that is directed into the drift tube and reflects off the flowing dispersed particles of oil;
- a light detector operable to produce an output signal proportional to the amount of light reflected off the flowing dispersed particles of oil;
- and
- a signal processing functionality which determines an amount of oil present within the mixture from the output signal.
3 more elements
A device, comprising:
- an input source of a mixture comprising a solvent and an unknown amount of oil;
- and
- an evaporative light scattering detection system that (a) receives the mixture from the input source, (b) forms the received mixture into a dispersed spray from which the solvent evaporates leaving dispersed particles of flowing oil that scatter light, (c) detects the scattered light;
- and (d) processes the detected scattered light to determine the unknown amount of oil which is present in the mixture.
1 more element
A device, comprising:
- a first input source of a mixture comprising a first solvent and an unknown quantity of oil;
- a second input source of a second solvent including means for introducing the mixture into the second solvent;
- a third input source of a stream of gas;
- a nebulizer that mixes the stream of gas with the second solvent to create a dispersed spray containing first solvent droplets, second solvent droplets and included oil;
- a drift tube that receives the dispersed spray and within which the first and second solvent droplets evaporate leaving drifting dispersed particles of the oil;
- a source of emitted light that is directed into the drift tube and reflects off the drifting dispersed particles of oil;
- a light detector operable to produce an output signal responsive to detection of reflected light;
- and
- a signal processing functionality which processes the output signal to make a determination of the unknown amount of oil which is present in the mixture.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.