Breeding plants
First Claim
1. A process for breeding plants wherein the influence of environment-associated phenotype is reduced compared to conventional breeding processes, which process comprisesa) growing plants of a species in an array of containers charged with growing medium of uniform characteristics in an environment of controlled climatic conditions with controlled supply of nutrients and feed water wherein the containers are supported in a horizontally disposed uniform array on a transporter apparatus comprising a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters and a transfer conveyor;
- b) changing the positions of the containers within the environment at intervals during the growing cycle to ensure at least substantially uniform exposure of all plants in the containers to conditions in the environment by moving one or more of the containers from one storage transporter to one or more different storage transporters by a motor via a transfer conveyor located transversely to the storage transporters, andc) selecting plants for further breeding by comparing the phenotypic characteristics of the plants.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for breeding plants which comprises growing plants of a species in an array of containers charged with growing medium of uniform characteristics in an environment of controlled climatic conditions with controlled supply of nutrients and feed water and changing the positions of the containers within the environment as required to ensure at least substantially uniform exposure of all plants in the containers to conditions in the environment. A process for the breeding of open pollinating plants in a greenhouse environment is also provided.
47 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A process for breeding plants wherein the influence of environment-associated phenotype is reduced compared to conventional breeding processes, which process comprises
a) growing plants of a species in an array of containers charged with growing medium of uniform characteristics in an environment of controlled climatic conditions with controlled supply of nutrients and feed water wherein the containers are supported in a horizontally disposed uniform array on a transporter apparatus comprising a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters and a transfer conveyor; -
b) changing the positions of the containers within the environment at intervals during the growing cycle to ensure at least substantially uniform exposure of all plants in the containers to conditions in the environment by moving one or more of the containers from one storage transporter to one or more different storage transporters by a motor via a transfer conveyor located transversely to the storage transporters, and c) selecting plants for further breeding by comparing the phenotypic characteristics of the plants. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A process for improved breeding of transgenic plants compared to conventional breeding, comprising
a) growing transgenic plants in an environment of controlled conditions; -
b) changing the position of the transgenic plants within the environment automatically at intervals during their growing cycle so as to avoid extended exposure to a particular micro-environment, thereby reducing the influence of micro-environment variations on the phenotype of the plants; c) comparing phenotype characteristics of the transgenic plants; and d) selecting one or more transgenic plant with a particular phenotype for further breeding. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification