Method of stimulating plant growth

• US 20060100551A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softwave Tissue Regeneration Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: General Patent, LLC (Tissue Regeneration Technologies LLC)
• Inventors: Schaden, Wolfgang, Warlick, John, Schultheiss, Reiner, Goeschl, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/04 Electric or magnetic or acoustic treatment of plants for promoting growth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 47/09 Physical and chemical treatment of seeds for planting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 47/12 Sonic or ultrasonic treatment

Abstract

The method of stimulating a plant substance is disclosed. The method has the steps of activating a pressure pulse or an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit pressure pulse or acoustic shock waves; and subjecting the plant substance to the pressure pulse or acoustic shock waves stimulating said plant substance wherein the substance is positioned within a path of the emitted shock waves. In one embodiment the emitted pressure pulse or shock waves are divergent or near planar. In another embodiment the emitted shock waves are convergent having a geometric focal volume of point at a distance of at least X from the source, the method further comprising positioning the substance at a distance less than the distance X from the source. The substance is a plant tissue having cells. The tissue can be a seed, zygotic embryo or somatic embryogenic culture of somatic embryos of plants. The plant may be a vegetable, tree, shrub or tuber. The tissue may be a part of the root system, a part of the stem system or a part of the leaf system. The method of stimulating includes activating the cells within the treated tissue thereby releasing growth factor proteins or other chemical compositions promoting growth and accelerating germination or plant growth.

Claims

1. The method of stimulating a plant substance comprises the steps of:

activating a pressure pulse or an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit pressure pulses or acoustic shock waves; and

subjecting the plant substance to the pressure pulses or acoustic shock waves stimulating said substance wherein the substance is positioned within a path of the emitted pressure pulses or shock waves.

2. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the emitted pulses or shock waves are divergent or near planar.

3. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the emitted pulses or shock waves are convergent having a geometric focal volume or point at a distance of at least X from the generator or source, the method further comprising positioning the substance at a distance less than the distance X from the source.

4. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 1 wherein the plant substance is a tissue having cells.

5. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the tissue is one or more seeds of a plant.

6. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is a tree.

7. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is a bush.

8. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is a vegetable.

9. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the plant is a tuber.

10. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is cotton.

11. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is soy bean.

12. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 5 wherein the plant is a flower.

13. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the tissue is one or more somatic embryos.

14. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the plant is asexually propagated.

15. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 14 wherein the plant is grafted.

16. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 14 wherein the plant is vegetative propagated by the rooting of cuttings.

17. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 14 wherein the plant tissue is micro-propagated from somatic embryos in vitro from minute pieces of tissue or individual cells.

18. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the tissue is a part of the root system.

19. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the tissue is a clone of the genetic system of a plant species.

20. The method of stimulating a plant substance of claim 4 wherein the tissue is one or more zygotic embryos.