Fluid nutrient delivery system and associated methods
AssigneeDevelopment Technologies, LLC
InventorsHyman D. Gesser, Donald R. T. LaFreniere
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for efficiently delivering an aqueous solution to plants includes positioning a distal portion of a microporous hydrophobic tubing coated with a hydrophilic polymer adjacent a root system of a plant and channeling an aqueous solution from an inlet to the distal portion through a lumen. The tubing along the distal portion has a porosity adapted for permitting a flow of the aqueous solution therethrough when acted upon by a surfactant root exudate generated by the roots due to water stress. The aqueous solution is held in a reservoir, from which it can be channeled to the hydrophilic device's inlet. A nutrient solution can also be channeled to the plant roots via additional tubing.
Claims2
A method for establishing a water- and nutrient-delivery system for plants comprising:
- joining lateral ends of a hydrophilic sheet comprising a hydrophobic material coated with a hydrophilic polymer to form a tube to form a hydrophilic porous sheet;
- positioning a distal portion of the tubing in an artificial plant growth medium;
- planting a plant in the growth medium, a root system of the plant adjacent the tubing distal portion;
- and
- positioning an inlet of the tubing at a proximal end thereof in fluid communication with a reservoir adapted to hold an aqueous solution.
A method for establishing a water- and nutrient-delivery system for plants comprising:
- coating a microporous hydrophobic sheet with a hydrophilic polymer;
- joining lateral ends of the sheet to form a tube;
- positioning a distal portion of the tubing in an artificial plant growth medium;
- planting a plant in the growth medium, a root system of the plant adjacent the tubing distal portion;
- and
- positioning an inlet of the tubing at a proximal end thereof in fluid communication with a reservoir adapted to hold an aqueous solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.