Plant tissue sampling device and method

Abstract

To collect a large volume of samples and shorten a time required for sample deactivation.SOLUTION: A plant tissue sampling device comprises: an upper support part 21; a lower support part 22 that is disposed facing the upper support part 21 and has a hole part 22c; a blade-mounted lid part 12 that is provided on a lower surface of the upper support part 21 and has a blade part 32 for cutting out a sample; a sample container part 13 that is provided below the hole part 22c of the lower support part 22, and at which the sample cut out by the blade part 32 is introduced into a container body 41 via an inlet part 42 at an upper part of the container body 41; and a cooling tank part 14 that is filled with a coolant 52 and stores the sample container part 13. The container body 41 has a container hole part 43 that allows passage of the coolant 52 from the cooling tank part 14. The blade-mounted lid part 12, upon cutting out the sample with the blade part 32 and introducing it into the container body 41, is engaged with and closes the inlet part 42 of the container body 41, and also closes the container hole part 43.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plant tissue harvesting device and harvesting method. [Background technology]

[0002] It is common to collect plant tissue slices when conducting research or investigations on the natural environment. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for collecting plant tissue slices, which comprises the steps of inserting a first gel layer into a needle, placing plant tissue on a second gel layer, and penetrating the needle through the plant tissue together with the second gel layer to collect a plant tissue slice into the needle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 125141 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the method for collecting plant tissue sections disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires two steps: collecting the sample with a needle, and then transferring the collected sample to a liquid and immersing it in liquid nitrogen, which makes it time-consuming to inactivate the sample. Furthermore, because the collection method relies on needle collection, only a very small amount of sample can be collected. Furthermore, when fixing the sample in a gel form, many preparations, such as preparing the gel, are required, making it unsuitable for use in the field.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a plant tissue harvesting device and method that allows for the collection of large volumes of sample while reducing the time required for sample inactivation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The plant tissue collection device according to the present disclosure includes a flat upper support part, a flat lower support part that is disposed below the upper support part and facing the upper support part, and has a hole, a bladed lid part that is provided on the underside of the upper support part before a sample is collected and has a blade part for cutting out a sample from a collection target, and a bladed lid part that is provided below the hole of the lower support part, and when the upper support part and the lower support part are brought close to each other, the sample cut out by the blade part of the bladed lid part is introduced into the container part via an input part provided on an upper part of the container part main body. The sample container comprises a sample container portion that is inserted into the main body, and a cooling tank portion that is filled with a cooling medium and stores the sample container portion in a removable state, the container portion main body of the sample container portion having a container opening portion through which the cooling medium from the cooling tank portion can pass, and the bladed lid portion cuts out the sample with the blade portion, and when the sample is inserted from the cooling tank portion into the container portion main body which has been filled with the cooling medium, it detaches from the upper support portion and fits into the insertion portion of the container portion main body to close it, and also closes the container opening portion. This allows the sample to be extracted in one step while the collection container is cooled.

[0007] The collection method according to the present disclosure comprises the steps of filling a cooling body into a cooling tank section, fixing a sample container section in the cooling tank section and inserting the cooling body from the cooling tank section into the sample container, placing a sample to be collected between a bladed lid section and the sample container section, cutting out a sample from the sample to be collected, and sealing the sample container section with the bladed lid section when the cut-out sample is placed in the sample container section. This allows the sample to be extracted in one step while the collection container is cooled. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a plant tissue harvesting device and a harvesting method that can harvest a large volume of sample while reducing the time required for sample inactivation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a plant tissue harvesting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a bladed lid according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a sample container part according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cooling tank part according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the plant tissue harvesting device according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, a plant tissue harvesting device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1(a) is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the plant tissue harvesting device 1. The plant tissue harvesting device 1 comprises a support section 11, a bladed lid section 12, a sample container section 13, and a cooling tank section 14. Figs. 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams showing an example of the operation of the plant tissue harvesting device 1, with Fig. 1(a) showing an example of the state before harvesting, Fig. 1(b) showing an example of the state during harvesting, and Fig. 1(c) showing an example of the state after harvesting.

[0011] In the following description, the X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to one another, and the X and Y directions may be referred to as horizontal directions, and the Z direction as a height or up-down direction. Before collection, the support unit 11 is provided above the sample container unit 13 and the cooling tank unit 14. The sample container unit 13 is open at the top so that a sample cut from a plant placed on the support unit 11 can descend and enter the sample container unit 13.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1(a), the support part 11 is composed of two flat plates: an upper support part 21 and a lower support part 22 provided below the upper support part 21. The upper support part 21 and the lower support part 22 are both rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and extend in a predetermined direction.

[0013] As a specific example, lower support part 22 has a shape extending in the X direction, is formed to be shorter in the Y direction than in the X direction, and is further formed to be shorter in the Z direction than in the Y direction. Upper support part 21 has the same shape as lower support part 22, and an end part in the extension direction is connected to an end part in the X direction of lower support part 22 by a hinge with the Y direction as the axial direction. This hinge is referred to as hinge 23.

[0014] Here, with regard to the ends where the upper support part 21 and the lower support part 22 are connected by the hinge 23, the end of the upper support part 21 is referred to as the first end part 21a, and the end of the lower support part 22 is referred to as the second end part 22a.

[0015] Furthermore, in the extension direction of the upper support part 21, the other end different from the end where the first end part 21a is provided is referred to as the third end part 21b. Similarly, the other end different from the end where the second end part 22a of the lower support part 22 is provided is referred to as the fourth end part 22b. That is, both ends of the upper support part 21 in the extension direction are referred to as the first end part 21a and the third end part 21b, respectively, and both ends of the lower support part 22 in the extension direction are referred to as the second end part 22a and the fourth end part 22b, respectively.

[0016] The lower surface of the third end 21b of the upper support part 21 and the upper surface of the fourth end 22b of the lower support part 22 are arranged opposite to each other before the harvesting operation by the plant tissue harvesting device 1. Furthermore, when the harvesting operation is performed, the third end 21b of the upper support part 21 moves about the hinge 23 as an axis to move closer to the fourth end 22b of the lower support part 22.

[0017] The fourth end 22b of the lower support part 22 has a hole 22c that penetrates in the vertical direction. The sample container part 13 is arranged below the hole 22c. More specifically, an input part 42 is arranged above the sample container part 13 so as to face the hole 22c. As a result, when a plant sample is cut out at the position of the fourth end 22b by the blade part 32 of the bladed lid part 12 (described later), the sample descends and enters the sample container part 13. In other words, when a sample is collected, the blade part 32 penetrates the hole 22c, and the cut-out sample passes through towards the sample container part 13 arranged below.

[0018] 2(a) and 2(b) are diagrams showing an example of the bladed lid portion 12, with FIG. 2(a) being a perspective view and FIG. 2(b) being a cross-sectional view seen from the side. The bladed lid portion 12 is provided on the underside of the third end portion 21b of the upper support portion 21 before sampling. The bladed lid portion 12 has a lid body 31, a cylindrical blade portion 32, a plug portion 33 that seals the container hole 43 of the sample container portion 13, and a check valve 34 that releases internal pressure in the sample container portion 13.

[0019] Before the sample is collected, the bladed lid portion 12 is attached to the lower part of the third end portion 21b of the upper support portion 21, but when the sample is collected, it detaches from the upper support portion 21 and functions as a lid for the sample container portion 13.

[0020] The lid body 31 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as the diameter of an insertion port 42 above the sample container portion 13, which will be described later. Here, each part of the bladed lid 12 will be described assuming that the lid body 31 is positioned so as to close the insertion port 42 above the sample container portion 13. In this case, the bottom is located on the Z-direction side, which is the vertical direction of the lid body 31, and the XY direction is the radial direction. The lid body 31 has a hole that penetrates in the vertical direction. For example, the lid body 31 can close the sample container portion 13 by fitting using a screw cap structure.

[0021] The blade portion 32 is provided on the underside of the lid body 31 along the outer diameter of the lid body 31 and extends downward. The blade portion 32 is cylindrical with its diameter in the XY direction. This allows the blade portion 32 to cut the sample into a circular shape when it comes into contact from above with a plant sample sandwiched between the upper support portion 21 and the lower support portion 22. As an example, the diameter of the blade portion 32 can be approximately φ=10 mm.

[0022] Furthermore, the vertical length of the blade portion 32 can be set to at least a length sufficient to penetrate the hole portion 22c provided at the fourth end 22b of the lower support portion 22 when cutting out the collection target provided at the fourth end 22b of the lower support portion 22 while the bladed cover portion 12 is provided at the third end 21b of the upper support portion 21.

[0023] The stopper portion 33 is a protrusion provided on the outside of the cylindrical blade portion 32. When the blade portion 32 is arranged in the container body 41 of the sample container portion 13, the stopper portion 33 is arranged at the position of a container hole 43 (described later) and can close the container hole 43.

[0024] The blade portion 32 has a rib 32a that protrudes outward between the lid body 31 and the plug portion 33 in the vertical direction.

[0025] The check valve 34 is provided in a hole that passes through the lid body 31 in the vertical direction. As will be described later, the check valve 34 becomes sealed after the cooling body is inserted from the cooling tank 14 into the sample container 13, and can release the internal pressure to the outside of the sample container 13 when the cooling body evaporates.

[0026] 3(a) and 3(b) are diagrams showing the sample container section 13. FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view, and FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view seen from the side. FIG. 3(c) shows an example of the state in which the sample container section 13 provided with the rib 41a is sealed with the bladed lid section 12 after collection is completed in the plant tissue collection device 1. Note that FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show an example of the sample container section 13 without the rib 41a, while FIG. 3(c) shows an example of the sample container section 13 with the rib 41a.

[0027] 3(a) and 3(b), the sample container 13 is a container that is elongated in the vertical direction. The sample container 13 includes a container body 41 that is elongated in the vertical direction, an insertion portion 42 at the top of the container body 41 for inserting the sample cut by the blade portion 32 of the bladed lid 12 into the container, and a container opening 43 provided on the side of the container body 41.

[0028] 3(c), for example, the container body 41 is formed with a length of approximately 40 mm in the vertical direction. The container body 41 is formed with ribs 41a that correspond to the ribs 32a provided on the blade portion 32 of the bladed lid portion 12. That is, when the blade portion 32 of the bladed lid portion 12 enters the container body 41 and the lid body 31 closes the insertion portion 42, the ribs 32a of the bladed lid portion 12 and the ribs 41a of the sample container portion 13 fit together, thereby firmly fixing them to each other.

[0029] 1(a), before a sample is collected, the upper end of the container body 41 is arranged to abut against the lower surface of the lower support part 22 at the position of the fourth end 22b of the lower support part 22. In other words, the input part 42 of the sample container part 13 is arranged close to the lower surface of the lower support part 22 so that the sample descending from the fourth end 22b enters the container body 41.

[0030] 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing an example of the cooling tank section 14. The cooling tank section 14 is cylindrical and has a double structure. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the cooling tank section 14 can be filled with a cooling medium 52. In this description, the cooling medium 52 filled in the cooling tank section 14 is assumed to be liquid nitrogen.

[0031] The cooling tank section 14 can detachably store the sample container section 13. Before sampling, the sample container section 13 is set in the cooling tank section 14 with the upper insertion section 42 open.

[0032] Here, when the sample container 13 is set in the cooling tank 14, liquid nitrogen filled in the cooling tank 14 is inserted into the container body 41 through the container hole 43. In other words, the container hole 43 provided on the side surface of the container body 41 of the sample container 13 is provided so that the cooling medium filled in the cooling tank 14 can pass through toward the container body 41.

[0033] Furthermore, the cooling tank section 14 has an opening 51 at the top. This opening 51 of the cooling tank section 14 is aligned with the position of the insertion section 42 of the sample container section 13 when the sample container section 13 is stored in the cooling tank section 14. This allows the sample cut out by the bladed lid section 12 in the support section 11 to enter the container body 41 of the sample container section 13 through the insertion section 42 without being obstructed by the cooling tank section 14.

[0034] Next, an example of the operation of the plant tissue harvesting device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the plant tissue harvesting device 1.

[0035] The cooling tank section 14 is filled with liquid nitrogen in advance (step S1).

[0036] Next, the sample container section 13 is set in the cooling tank section 14 filled with liquid nitrogen (step S2).

[0037] Next, plant tissue such as leaves to be collected is set between the bladed lid portion 12 and the sample container portion 13 (step S3). That is, the plant tissue is set between the upper support portion 21 and the lower support portion 22, and the portion of the plant tissue to be obtained as a sample is set on the hole portion 22c provided in the fourth end portion 22b of the lower support portion 22.

[0038] The user grips the upper support part 21 and the lower support part 22. As a result, the upper support part 21 and the lower support part 22, which sandwich the plant tissue to be harvested, come close to each other (step S4).

[0039] The blade 32 of the bladed lid 12, which is disposed on the underside of the third end 21b of the upper support part 21, cuts the plant tissue into a circular shape. The cut sample falls into the container body 41 of the sample container part 13, and the container body 41 is then covered with the lid body 31 of the bladed lid 12 (step S5).

[0040] At this time, the bladed lid 12 closes the container hole 43 of the sample container 13 with the stopper 33 provided on the blade 32. As a result, the sample cut out from the sample container 13 is placed in the container body 41, and all openings are closed, resulting in a sealed state.

[0041] Here, the sample container 13 is stored in the cooling tank 14, and the container body 41 is filled with liquid nitrogen.

[0042] Therefore, the plant tissue sample that has fallen into the container body 41 of the sample container 13 is immersed in the liquid nitrogen filled in the container body 41 and is instantly inactivated (step S6).

[0043] Thereafter, the sample container portion 13 covered with the bladed lid portion 12 can be removed from the cooling tank portion 14.

[0044] This allows the plant tissue collection device 1 to inactivate and seal and store the plant tissue sample at the same time as collecting it, thereby preventing contamination of the sample container containing the sample with impurities.

[0045] In this way, the plant tissue harvesting device 1 can cut and harvest a circular sample using the cylindrical blade portion 32 formed with a predetermined diameter and provided on the bladed cover portion 12. Therefore, by increasing the diameter of the cylindrical blade portion 32, a large amount of tissue can be harvested.

[0046] Furthermore, when obtaining samples of plant tissue from the plant tissue collection device 1, the user can operate the support unit 11 with one hand, which reduces the user's operational effort and makes it easier to collect samples continuously in the field.

[0047] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In other words, the above description has been omitted or simplified as appropriate for the sake of clarity, and a person skilled in the art can easily modify, add, or convert each element of the embodiment within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] For example, although the upper support part 21 and the lower support part 22 have been described as being similarly flat and having their ends in the extension direction connected by a hinge, this is not limiting. That is, it is sufficient if a sample can be cut out of a collection target provided at the position of the hole 22c of the fourth end 22b of the lower support part 22 using the bladed lid part 12 provided on the underside of the upper support part 21 before collection and dropped from the hole 22c into the sample container part 13.

[0049] For example, although the blade portion 32 has been described as being cylindrical, it is not limited to this. That is, the blade portion 32 does not necessarily have to be circular when viewed from the front, and may be rectangular or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1 Plant tissue collection device 11 Support part 12 Bladed lid 13 Sample container section 14 Cooling tank section 21 Upper support part 21a first end 21b Third end 22 Lower support part 22a second end 22b Fourth end 22c hole 23 Hinge 31 Lid body 32 Blade part 32a Rib 33 Plug part 34 Check valve 41 Container body 41a Rib 42 Insertion section 43 Container hole 51 Opening 52 Cooling body

Claims

1. a flat upper support portion; a lower support portion having a flat plate shape, disposed below the upper support portion and facing the upper support portion, and having a hole; a bladed lid portion provided on the lower surface of the upper support portion before the sample is collected, the bladed lid portion having a blade portion for cutting out the sample from the collection target; a sample container section provided below the hole of the lower support section, into which a sample cut out by the blade of the bladed lid section when the upper support section and the lower support section are brought close to each other is introduced into the container body through an introduction section provided at an upper part of the container body; a cooling tank portion filled with a cooling medium and detachably storing the sample container portion; The container body of the sample container part is a container hole through which the cooling medium from the cooling tank portion can pass; The bladed lid portion is the cutting portion is used to cut out the sample, and when the sample is introduced from the cooling tank into the container body filled with the cooling body, the cutting portion is detached from the upper support portion and engages with the introduction portion of the container body to close it, and also closes the container hole. Plant tissue collection device.

2. The upper support portion is a flat plate extending in a predetermined direction, having a first end and a third end which are opposite ends in the extending direction; The lower support portion is a flat plate extending in a predetermined direction, having a second end and a fourth end which are opposite ends in the extending direction; the first end of the upper support portion and the second end of the lower support portion are connected by a hinge; the third end of the upper support portion and the fourth end of the lower support portion are disposed opposite each other, The bladed lid portion is before the sample is taken, the sample is disposed on the underside of the third end of the upper support portion; The fourth end of the lower support portion has the upper support portion and the lower support portion are close to each other, and when the sample is cut out by the blade portion of the bladed lid portion, the blade portion penetrates and the cut-out sample can pass toward the sample container portion arranged below. The plant tissue harvesting device according to claim 1 .

3. The blade portion is A blade formed in a cylindrical shape. The plant tissue harvesting device according to claim 2 .

4. The blade portion is a protruding plug portion that closes the container hole of the container body when the container body is disposed in the container body; The plant tissue harvesting device according to claim 3 .

5. filling a cooling body into the cooling tank; a step of fixing a sample container part in the cooling tank part and inserting the cooling body into the sample container part from the cooling tank part; placing a sample to be collected between the bladed lid and the sample container; A step of cutting out a sample from the collection target; and sealing the sample container portion with the bladed lid portion when the cut sample is placed in the sample container portion. Collection method.

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