Conifer Somatic Embryo Germinant Storage and Transplantation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conversion percentage from conifer somatic embryos to plants growing in soil is lower than desired, and there is a logistical challenge in handling and storing large numbers of tender germinants susceptible to disease, with a need for a method that reduces contamination and ensures high conversion rates after transplantation.
Innovation Solution
Storing conifer somatic embryo germinants on sterile germination medium in a cold environment (0.5° C. to 10° C.) for up to 6 months and then in water at a temperature below 24° C. for over an hour before transplantation into growth medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conifer somatic embryos are individually removed from sterile development medium and placed on germination medium, then germination can occur, but the germinants are very tender and susceptible to damage by disease organisms such as fungi
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing germinants on solid germination medium in a cold environment (0.5°C to 10°C) for up to 6 months before transplantation. This advance preparation allows the germinants to acclimate and develop robustness while maintaining sterility, reducing susceptibility to pathogens during subsequent handling and transplantation processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses solid germination medium as an intermediary substrate that mediates between the sterile in vitro environment and the external soil environment. The germinants remain on this solid medium during cold storage, providing physical support and a sterile barrier that protects tender tissues from direct exposure to pathogens until transplantation is complete
2Productivity
If large numbers of germinants are handled and transplanted simultaneously, then productivity increases, but it becomes difficult to produce a synchronized population with similar dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary synchronization of germinant development by storing them on solid medium at controlled low temperatures before transplantation. This allows batches of germinants to be brought to a uniform developmental stage and size before being transplanted together, ensuring dimensional consistency even when handling large numbers simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The solid germination medium provides self-service by maintaining germinants in a stable, sterile environment during cold storage. The medium continues to support germinant metabolism and development passively during storage, requiring minimal intervention while maintaining uniformity, thus enabling synchronized transplantation of large batches
3Stability of the object's composition
If germinants are stored in a cold environment on sterile germination medium for extended periods, then synchronization and disease resistance improve, but the storage conditions become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The solid germination medium provides self-service by maintaining germinants in a stable, sterile environment during cold storage. The medium continues to support germinant metabolism and development passively during storage, requiring minimal intervention while maintaining uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing cold temperatures (0.5°C to 10°C) to slow metabolic rates and extend the viable storage period of germinants on solid medium. This temperature parameter change enables long-term storage (up to 6 months) while maintaining germinant viability and synchronization without requiring complex active control systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method increases the conversion percentage from somatic embryos to plants and allows for synchronized production and storage of germinants, reducing microbial contamination and improving post-transplant survival rates, enabling efficient large-scale production and synchronized outplanting.
Implementation Method 1
placing the germinants while still on sterile germination medium into a cold environment in which the temperature is in the range of 0.5° C. to 10° C. for a time period up to 6 months
Implementation Method 2
placing the germinants in water for a time greater than about 1 hour at a temperature below about 24° C. prior to transplantation into growth medium
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the present invention provides methods of producing a synchronized population of conifer somatic embryo germinants in preparation for transplantation. The methods of the invention comprise the steps of: (a) culturing conifer somatic embryos on sterile germination medium for a sufficient period of time to produce germinants comprising a visible, well-defined epicotyl stem of a desired length; (b) selecting a plurality of germinants having an epicotyl stem of the desired length; (c) storing the selected germinants having an epicotyl stem of the desired length produced in step (a) while still on the sterile germination medium from step (a) in a cold environment in which the temperature is in the range of 0.5° C. to 10° C. for a time period up to six months; and (d) transferring the germinants stored according to step (c) from the germination medium into water for a time of up to about four weeks at a temperature of about 0.5° C. to about 5° C. prior to planting the selected germinants into growth medium.