Plant propagation container for in-vitro plant cultivation

Abstract

Plant propagation container (1) for in-vitro plant cultivation, consisting of • a container (2, 3) with a container bottom (4) and a surrounding side wall (5), • an insert tray (11, 21, 31) that can be inserted into and removed from the container, which has at least one compartment (12) for receiving a nutrient medium and a plantlet to be cultivated, wherein the at least one compartment is bounded by a compartment wall (13) and a compartment base (14) which has at least one opening (15), and • a lid (8) and / or a sealing film for closing the container, characterized in that • that the container bottom (4) includes closing means (7, 22) for closing the opening (15) in the usable bottom (14).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant cultivation container for in vitro plant cultivation according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In vitro plant cultivation involves cloning plant explants into complete and genetically identical plants on a culture medium in a sterile environment. Transparent plastic containers are used, consisting of a cup-shaped container and a lid attached to it in a media-tight manner. Grid-shaped inserts are known to facilitate the orderly formation of the meristems. These form individual cells within the receiving space, from which the newly formed plants can be selectively removed. For automated transplanting, in particular, the grid can be removed from the base. The plants, together with the solidified culture medium on which they have grown, are lifted from the grid with pestles, grasped by grippers, and transferred to growing trays filled with substrate. A container equipped with a grid is known from JP S63287478 A.

[0003] WO 2017124137 A1 discloses an insert tray for in vitro plant cultivation, which comprises a plurality of cup-shaped inserts and can be inserted into a container. Each insert is designed to accommodate a separate plantlet with a portion of gel as a nutrient medium for nourishing the plantlet. The respective inserts comprise an opening in the bottom and a deflection element configured to deflect the roots of the plantlet away from the opening. The insert tray rests on feet on the container bottom, providing a common reservoir for the nutrient medium beneath and between the inserts.

[0004] The problem, however, is that the nutrient medium sticks to the tray removed from the container, contaminating the work area. Since the nutrient media contains high sugar content, if the work area is not thoroughly cleaned regularly, bacteria and fungi can develop, spreading throughout the work area to an entire batch of plants and jeopardizing their further cultivation.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a plant cultivation container for in vitro plant cultivation, which pollutes the working environment less when transplanting the cultivated plants.

[0006] The object is achieved by a plant cultivation container according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims referring back to this claim as well as in the following description of advantages and figures.

[0007] According to the invention, the container base comprises closure means for closing the opening in the tray base. The at least one tray is thus sealed at the bottom when the insert tray is inserted in the container, and open when the insert tray is removed from the container in order to push the cultivated plantlet out of the tray from below, together with the solidified nutrient medium. With the insert tray inserted, the at least one tray can be filled with nutrient medium without nutrient medium leaking from the at least one tray through the opening into the other container. The amount of nutrient medium to be filled is limited to the amount required in the tray for cultivation and does not exceed the volume of the tray, thus saving nutrient medium.In particular, the nutrient medium does not contaminate the underside of the tray and therefore also does not contaminate the working environment into which a tray removed from the container is brought for transplanting the seedlings.

[0008] The sealed base also prevents roots from growing. Once the tray is removed, the seedlings can be pushed out smoothly without damaging the roots or tearing off any roots that have grown through. The invention takes advantage of the fact that liquid nutrient medium, such as agar, solidifies during the seedling cultivation phase to such an extent that it no longer escapes through the opening in the base when the tray is lifted from the container base and thus from the sealing means at the end of in vitro plant cultivation. The nutrient medium, solidified into a plug, supports the seedlings and can be pushed out by a ram and replanted with a gripper.

[0009] The tray base can be completely open or provided with at least one preferably central and preferably round opening. The closure means can be designed such that it engages in the opening and / or seals against an area of ​​the tray base and / or the tray wall adjacent to the opening, for example by means of a sealing lip formed protruding from the container base and closed all the way around, which acts against the tray base. The container is sealed in a media-tight manner by the lid and / or the sealing film, with at least one filter element for gas exchange with the environment being provided on the container, lid and / or sealing film. If a sealing film is used, this can be protected from damage by a simple slip-on lid.

[0010] In a preferred further embodiment, the insert tray has a plurality of panels, wherein the closure means provided in the container base close the panels separately from one another. By closing the panels, separate cells are formed, which can preferably each hold an equal amount of nutrient medium for the plants to be cultivated. Communication between the nutrient media of the respective panels is excluded. Should an individual panel become contaminated, this panel remains isolated and does not contaminate the nutrient medium of the other panels. The panels are preferably formed by a grid, so that adjacent panels share a common panel wall.

[0011] Preferably, the container base is provided with a number of separate closure means that is greater than or equal to the number of inserts in the insert tray. Thus, a container designed in this way can be equipped with different insert trays, which differ, in particular, in the number and arrangement of inserts.

[0012] The trays preferably have separate tray walls, each of which tapers inwards and towards the tray base. The nutrient medium, which has solidified into plugs, can be pushed upwards more easily from the conically shaped trays. The separate tray walls enable round tray cross-sections, particularly in the lower tray section, which can also merge into the tray base in a rounded and / or conical manner. A round plug can be more easily transplanted into a substrate for the subsequent cultivation phase, which only needs to be provided with a simple round blind hole. Because of the separate tray walls, the insert tray can be produced cost-effectively from a thin plastic film using a thermoforming process. And because the trays are closed separately, no nutrient medium gets into the space between the trays, thus saving on nutrient medium.

[0013] Preferably, grooves are formed in the top of the insert tray between the trays so that the liquid nutrient medium can be filled into one or a few trays and the nutrient medium is evenly distributed via the grooves to the other trays of the insert tray without overflowing over the outer edge of the insert tray.

[0014] In a preferred further embodiment, the closure means engages the opening of the tray base like a plug. The opening of the tray base is sealed via the edge of the opening.

[0015] The closure means preferably comprises a pin projecting into the interior of the container. The pin, which is preferably dome- and / or conical in shape, projects upwards relative to the container base and engages the opening of the container base like a sealing plug. The pin is preferably formed by a hollow body open at the top or bottom, with the hollow body open at the bottom being formed by an indentation in the container base extending into the interior of the container, and the hollow body open at the top being formed by a circumferential web mounted on the container base.

[0016] In a preferred further embodiment, the closure means encompasses the tray base in a cap-like manner. Alternatively or in addition to the plug-like closure, the tray base is sealed via the outer edge of the tray base and / or an adjacent tray wall area. The tray is thus sealed via its outer contour.

[0017] Preferably, the cap-like closure means comprises a web projecting circumferentially into the interior of the container. This forms a sealing frame that defines a receptacle for at least a lower portion of the container.

[0018] The cap-like closure means preferably comprises a cup formed in a recessed manner in the container base. The cup-shaped recess forms a receptacle for at least a lower portion of the insert. The recess is preferably formed by a bulge that projects downward relative to the container base.

[0019] In a preferred further embodiment, the container base and / or the container wall comprises at least one securing means for releasably securing the insert tray in the container. The insert tray is held in position relative to the container, so that the tray base remains securely closed by the closure means even when the container is moved and / or is in an inclined or even overturned position. The securing means can be formed by a clamping cam that clamps the insert tray. Preferably, the securing means is arranged centrally or the securing means are distributed symmetrically relative to the container center.

[0020] The securing means is preferably co-formed by the closure means. The at least one panel of the insert tray clamps to the closure means due to self-locking if the closure, designed for example as a cap-shaped bowl, and the lower panel section are conically shaped with a wedge angle of preferably less than 20°, particularly preferably less than 10°. Accordingly, a closure indented in the container base like a plug can also be conically shaped with such a wedge angle, against which the edge of the panel opening then comes to rest in a self-locking clamping manner. Preferably, in the case of an insert tray having a plurality of panels, several, particularly preferably all, closure means distributed over the insert tray are designed as securing means.

[0021] The securing means preferably comprises an undercut. The undercut engages behind the edge of the opening in the tray base or an outer edge of the insert tray. The undercut can be formed by a separate snap hook engaging the opening in the tray base. An undercut extending at least partially around the perimeter can be formed on the pin engaging the opening, so that the insert tray latches onto the locking means formed as a pin via the opening in the tray base.

[0022] In a preferred further embodiment, the insert tray comprises at least one gripping element. The insert tray can be gripped mechanically and / or manually via the at least one element and can be easily inserted into and removed from the container. Preferably, the at least one element is arranged centrally on the insert tray. The at least one element can be formed by a removal opening, which is formed as a recess on the insert tray instead of a blank or in an edge section where a complete blank can no longer be formed.

[0023] Preferably, the at least one element is formed by a grip tab. The grip tab protrudes from the insert tray on the side opposite the at least one tray. The insert tray can be easily removed from the container via the at least one grip tab without damaging the cultivated plants.

[0024] In a preferred further embodiment, the insert tray is made of a transparent plastic with a thin wall thickness. The insert tray can be manufactured cost-effectively by injection molding or thermoforming. Due to sterility requirements, the highly jagged and thus difficult-to-clean insert tray is preferably a disposable item. The easier-to-clean containers and lids, on the other hand, can be designed as reusable items and made of a long-term, particularly transparent, material.

[0025] Further advantages and details of the invention can be found in the following description of the figures. Individual technical features of the exemplary embodiments described below can also be combined with previously described exemplary embodiments as well as the features of the independent claims and any further claims to form subject matter according to the invention. Where appropriate, functionally equivalent elements are provided with identical reference numerals. Fig. 1 a plant growing container with a lid lifted from the container; Fig. 2 the container of the plant cultivation container Fig. 1; Fig. 3 the insert tray of the plant cultivation container Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a section through a first embodiment of a bottom-side panel closure; Fig. 5 a section through a second embodiment of a bottom-side panel closure; Fig. 6 a second embodiment of the container; Fig. 7 a second embodiment of the insert tray; Fig. 8 a bottom view of the insert tray Fig. 7; Fig. 9 a section through a third embodiment of a bottom-side panel closure; Fig. 10 a third embodiment of the insert tray; Fig. 11 a section through another embodiment of a bottom-side panel closure.

[0026] The Fig. 1 and intended for in vitro plant cultivation consists of a container 2 having a container base 4 and a surrounding container wall 5, an insert tray 11 inserted therein, and a lid 8. All parts are made of plastic and have a thin wall thickness. The lid 8 is in a raised position for illustration purposes. When properly arranged, the lid 8 seals the container 2 at its edge 6 in a media-tight manner. Alternatively or additionally, the container 2 can also be sealed by a film sealed to its edge 6. To ventilate the receiving space of the plant cultivation container 1, which is thus enclosed on all sides, two filter membranes 9 are provided in the lid 8. These filter membranes enable gas exchange between the receiving space and the environment while retaining pests such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or mites.

[0027] The insert tray 11 comprises a plurality of cup-shaped panels 12, which are formed in a matrix of seven rows and nine columns in a top side 16 of the insert tray 11, each having a circumferential panel wall 13 and a panel base 14. As can be seen from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, the trays 12 are provided with openings 15 at the bottom. The openings 15 are required to push out the plants located in the trays 12, together with the nutrient medium solidified into plugs on which the plants grew during in vitro plant cultivation, with rams, grasp them with grippers, and transfer them into cultivation trays filled with substrate.

[0028] According to the invention, the container 2, as shown in Fig. 2, is designed with recessed cups 7 in the container bottom 4. The cups 7 are according to Fig. 4 is configured to receive a lower portion of the blanks 12 when the insert tray 11 is inserted into the container 2, and to seal the respective opening 15 in a cap-like manner via the blank wall 13. The blank walls 13, which taper inward at an acute angle w and toward the blank base 14, are received in the cups 7, which are conically shaped at the same angle w, so that the blanks 12 are held clamped in the cups 7 due to self-locking. The insert tray 11 is thereby held in the container 2.

[0029] The Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the container base, in which each benefit receptacle is formed by a web 20 projecting circumferentially into the interior of the container.

[0030] The Fig. The second embodiment of a container 3 shown in Figure 6 has a plurality of pins 22 in the container bottom 4, which engage in the openings 15 like plugs, as can be seen on the right-hand panel 12 of Fig. 9. The pin engaging the left-hand tray 12 has a mushroom-shaped, thickened head, thus forming an undercut into which the edge of the opening 15 engages. The multiple mushroom pins 23 hold the insert tray securely in the container.

[0031] The characters Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 shows a second embodiment of an insert tray 21. Round inserts 12 are formed on the insert tray 21. In the center, one insert is replaced by a gripping opening 17. The insert tray 21 can be grasped manually, using appropriate tools if necessary, or mechanically, and can thus be more easily inserted into the container 3 and removed from the container 3 again, particularly at the end of in vitro cultivation. Grooves 24 are formed between the inserts 12, through which liquid nutrient medium filled into individual inserts can be distributed to other inserts.

[0032] A third embodiment of an insert tray 31 is shown in Fig. 10. The panels 12 are formed by a grid 19, so that adjacent panels 12 share a common panel wall 13 or are separated from each other by respective panel walls 13. The panel walls 13 have recesses in the upper edge, which, like the insert tray 21, form a respective groove 24 for the overflow of the nutrient medium. The insert tray 31 can be easily inserted and removed using grip tabs 18 molded onto the edge.

[0033] Fig. Figure 11 shows the insert tray 31 as it is accommodated in a container. The plug-like pins 32 engaging in the openings 15 are formed by indentations in the container base 4. A cam 33 is formed on the inside of the container wall 5, which holds the insert tray 31 in position within the container. List of reference symbols 1 plant growing container 2 containers 3 containers 4 Container bottom 5 Container wall 6 Container rim 7 bowls 8 lids 9 Filter membrane 11 Insert tray 12 Benefits 13 Utility wall 14 Utility floor 15 Opening 16 Top 17 Gripping opening 18 Grip tab 19 grids 20 jetty 21 Insert tray 22 cones 23 mushroom cones 24 gutter 31 Insert tray 32 cones 33 cams w angle QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP S63287478 A

[0002] WO 2017124137 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Plant cultivation container (1) for in vitro plant cultivation, consisting of • a container (2, 3) with a container base (4) and a surrounding side wall (5), • an insert tray (11, 21, 31) which can be inserted into and removed from the container and which has at least one tray (12) for receiving a nutrient medium and a plant to be cultivated, wherein the at least one tray is delimited by a tray wall (13) and a tray base (14) which has at least one opening (15), and • a lid (8) and / or a sealing film for closing the container, characterized by , • that the container base (4) comprises closure means (7, 22) for closing the opening (15) in the tray base (14). [2] Plant cultivation container according to claim 1, characterized bythat the insert tray (11, 21, 31) has a plurality of panels (12), wherein the closure means (7, 22) provided in the container base (4) close the panels separately from one another. [3] Plant cultivation container according to claim 2, characterized by that the panels (12) have separate panels walls (13) which taper inwards and towards the panel base (14). [4] Plant cultivation container according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that grooves (24) are formed between the blanks (12) in the upper side (16) of the insert tray (21, 31). [5] Plant cultivation container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the closure means (22) engages in the opening (15) of the tray base (14) like a plug. [6] Plant cultivation container according to claim 5, characterized by that the closure means comprises a pin (22, 23) projecting into the interior of the container. [7] Plant cultivation container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the closure means (7) encompasses the base (14) like a cap. [8] Plant cultivation container according to claim 7, characterized by that the cap-like closure means comprises a web (20) projecting circumferentially into the interior of the container. [9] Plant cultivation container according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by that the cap-like closure means comprises a cup (7) formed recessed into the container base. [10] Plant cultivation container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the container bottom (4) and / or the container wall (5) comprises at least one fixing means (23, 33) for releasably fixing the insert tray in the container. [11] Plant cultivation container according to claim 10, characterized by that the fixing means is also formed by the closure means (23). [12] Plant cultivation container according to claim 10 or 11, characterized bythat the fixing means (23, 33) comprises an undercut. [13] Plant cultivation container according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that the insert tray (21, 31) comprises at least one element (17, 18) for gripping. [14] Plant cultivation container according to claim 13, characterized by that the at least one element is formed by a grip tab (18). [15] Plant cultivation container according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by that the insert tray (11, 21, 31) is made of transparent plastic with a thin wall thickness.

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