(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0030489 A1 Northcott Et Al
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US 20060030489A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0030489 A1 Northcott et al. (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 9, 2006 (54) AQUATIC PLANT PRODUCT AND METHOD Publication Classification FOR MAKING GROWTH-SUSTAINING PLANT MATRIX (51) Int. Cl. AOIN 39/02 (2006.01) (76) Inventors: Donald Owen Northcott, Cornwall A0IH 9/00 (2006.01) (CA); Mark O. Hamran, Tea, SD (US) (52) U.S. Cl. ............................................ 504/323; 800/295 Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT MARIO D. THERIAULT The invention consists of an aquatic plant product for resale, 812 HWY. 101 NASONWORTH having an extended shelf life, and a method for making the FREDERICTON, NB E3C 2B5 (CA) aquatic plant product. The aquatic plant product is made of a Sealed container containing aquatic-plant-growth-Sustain (21) Appl. No.: 11/193,503 ing medium therein and an aquatic plant planted in that aquatic-plant-growth-Sustaining medium. The aquatic-plant (22) Filed: Aug. 1, 2005 growth-Sustaining medium contains a root-Support material; at least one Vitamin; Sucrose; agar, distilled water, micro Related U.S. Application Data nutrients containing iron; at least one hormone Selected from a group consisting of auxin, naphthleneacetic acid, indole (60) Provisional application No. 60/599.985, filed on Aug. 3-butric acid, cytokine, 2-isopentyladenine, 6 Benzylami 9, 2004. nopurine and any combination thereof. US 2006/0030489 A1 Feb. 9, 2006 AQUATIC PLANT PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR 0012 e) distilled water; and MAKING GROWTH-SUSTAINING PLANT MATRIX 0013 f) at least one hormone selected from the list 0001. This application claims the benefits of provisional consisting of auxin, naphthleneacetic acid, indole-3-butric application Ser. No. 60/599.985, filed on Aug. 9, 2004. acid, cytokine, 2-isopentyladenine, 6 benzylaminopurine and any combination thereof. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 0014 Basically, the sealed container contains a plant 0002 This invention pertains to retail packages of aquatic growth-Supporting medium and a Sterile aquatic plant. The plants, and more specifically, it pertains to Sealed containers plant-growth-Supporting medium is water-based and by Vir having growth-Sustaining media therein providing extended tue of being Sealed, establishes within the non-media portion shelf life for the plants therein. of the container interior, the air space, a relative humidity that is substantially 100%. This 100% humidity level closely BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION approximates conditions aquatic plants experience while 0003. It is the dream of every fish hobbyist to decorate Submerged, this then creates the conditions required for their living Space with attractive, plant-filled aquariums. Successful growth of aquatic plants. However, it is expensive and labor-intensive for amateur hobbyists, or even professional breeders, to obtain and grow 0015. A sterile tissue-cultured aquatic plantlet when a variety of aquarium plants due to the fact that they require placed on a Sterile plant-growth-Supporting medium in a Specialized equipment to propagate. Moreover, acquatic plant Sealed vessel establishes an equilibrium in this environment retailers experience Significant product losses with aquatic and as Such only grows at a rate Supported by the factors that plant products, as the plants currently available must be control the metabolic processes. transplanted directly upon receipt of Shipment from a pro 0016 Plants complete two processes, photosynthesis and vider or will perish. Thus, what is needed is a shelf-stable respiration. In the photosynthesis process, Oxygen is aquatic plant product. released from the plant as a metabolic process. In respira tion, a plant absorbs Oxygen from the atmosphere and use SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION it to drive metabolic processes. So the cycling of a limited 0004. The present invention relates to an aquatic plant Supply of Oxygen within the closed System serves to regu product characterized by an extended shelf life, which late plant growth and in doing So it establishes the longevity product comprises at least one aquatic plant and a stable of the plant in the closed system. growth-Sustaining plant matrix, and to methods useful for 0017. This brief Summary has been provided so that the generating Same. For example, the present invention pro nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more vides a Sealed container, e.g., a test tube, containing therein complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by an aquatic plant, for example, a tissue-culture propagated reference to the following detailed description of the pre aquatic plant, in a Sterile environment and in a growth ferred embodiment thereof. Sustaining plant matrix. 0005. In one embodiment, the present invention provides DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE nutrient rich, non-toxic, foliar Support matrix conditions to PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Sustain an aquatic plant in a Sealed container for an extended period of time, for example, at least one year. An acquatic I. Definitions plant can be laboratory cultured under Specific growth 0018. The following definitions are provided for specific parameters and conditioned for entry into a container that terms that are used in the following written description: provides the plant with Sufficient nutrients and air to Survive 0019 AS used in the specification and claims, the singu un-aided and without the addition of water or other normal lar form “a,”“an” and “the” include plural references unless plant requirements. the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term 0006. In one embodiment, the present invention provides “a plant' includes a plurality of plants, e.g., aquatic plant a tissue culture medium formulated to Sustain the aquatic Species. plant of interest, for example, a tissue-culture propagated 0020. An “acquatic plant” refers to members of the king aquatic plant, in a contained, Sterile environment for up to doms Plantae and Protista that are capable of survival and/or one year. The tissue culture medium is specific for the plant, growth in an aquatic environment, e.g., under water or in a and has precise nutritive components, e.g., hormones, fer wetland environment. tilizers, amino acids, trace elements and minerals, Such as fertilizer and trace minerals which aid in the growth and root 0021 “Container” includes any suitable, sealable device formation, that Sustain the individual plant. Such as a tissue culture flask, tissue culture dish, test tube and the like. A container may be made of transparent 0007 For example, the medium according to the present material, Such as glass, polystyrene and the like, or trans invention comprises: lucent material, Such as polypropylene and the like. 0008 a) root-support material as described by inventors 0022. The terms “medium” and “media” are used inter Murashige & Skoog, who are well known in this art; changeably with “substrate,”“matrix” and “formulation.” 0009 b) at least one vitamin; 0023 The phrase “shelf-stable” refers to the capability of the product of the invention to Sustain the plant being Stored 0010) c) Sucrose; for an extended period of time, for example, for at least four 0011 d) agar; years, at a temperature Such as room temperature, e.g., 50 US 2006/0030489 A1 Feb. 9, 2006 C.-85 C. In one embodiment of the invention, the shelf muskgrasses (Chara spp.), Stoneworts (Nitella spp.) and Stable aquatic plant product of the invention can be Stored at numerous vascular plants. Many Submersed plants, Such as room temperature for one to 4 years in the Sterile container widgeon-grass (Ruppia maritima), various pondweeds without having a deleterious effect on the ability of the (PotamogetOn spp.), and tape-grass (Vallisneria spp.), are aquatic plant to Survive, e.g., grow and/or proliferate, once native to the United States. transplanted into an aquatic environment. 0033 Submersed species face special problems obtaining 0024 “Sterile” or “sterile environment” refers to the light for photosynthesis and they must obtain carbon dioxide absence of prokaryotic, lower eukaryotes Species, and/or from the water where it is much less available than it is in pathogens. air. Submersed Species invest much less energy into Struc tural Support because they are Supported by water and water II. Exemplary Plants of the Invention accounts for about 95% of the weight of these submersed 0.025 The shelf-stable aquatic plant product of the inven Species. tion includes a Sterile, Sealed container with at least one aquatic plant, the roots of which are in contact with a 0034) Free floating macrophytes (plants that typically float on or just under the water Surface with their roots in the Sustainable growth medium that is tailored to meet the water and not in Sediment) are a diverse group of aquatic nutritive needs of the plant(s) of interest. plants. Small free floating plants include duckweeds (Lemna 0026. Any aquatic and/or wetland plants can be used with spp.), mosquito fern (Azolla Caroliniana) and water fern the method of the present invention, Such as any emergent, (Salvinia spp.). Larger Surface floating plants include water floating-leaved, Submersed, and freely floating aquatic plant. hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), frog's bit (Limnobium Aquatic macrophytes, by definition, are the macroscopic SpOngia). (large enough to be observed by the naked eye) forms of aquatic and wetland plants found in water bodies. The term 0035 Free floating species are entirely dependent on the aquatic macrophytes refers to a diverse group of aquatic water for their nutrient Supply. In fact, Some (e.g., water plants and encompasses flowering vascular plants, mosses, hyacinth) have been used in wastewater treatment to remove ferns, and macroalgae. exceSS nutrients. 0027 Emergent macrophytes (plants that are rooted in 0036) Thus, the shelf-stable aquatic plant product of the Substrate with the tops of the plant extending into the air) invention includes a Sterile, Sealed container with one grow on periodically inundated or Submersed Soils. Most aduatic plant or a plurality of aquatic plants, for example, a emergent macrophytes are perennials (plants or plant parts combination of one or more aquatic plant Species.