WO2018173028A2

WO2018173028A2 - Pollination chamber for controlled environments

Info

Publication number: WO2018173028A2
Application number: PCT/IB2018/054809
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heriberto FRANCO; Jorge Luis PINO; Tomás RÍOS GONZÁLEZ
Original assignee: Universidad Autónoma De Chiriquí
Priority date: 2018-05-28
Filing date: 2018-06-28
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Also published as: WO2018173028A3

Abstract

Pollination chamber for controlled environments, for pollen collection and donation. For that purpose, the chamber comprises a container (1) provided with at least one opening (2), inside which donor plants (2) are alternatively accommodated, from which pollen is intended to be obtained, and receiving plants (11) which are intended to be pollinated by means of the pollen obtained from the donors. In the opening (2), a microporous membrane (5) is interposed being intended for retaining the pollen, as well as a closure lid (6) provided with a high-power ventilation device (8), having a reversible motor for creating a forced air stream inside said duct (7). Onto moving rails (13) pots with plants (11) are displaced, which are automatically introduced and extracted from the container (1).

Description

POLLINATION CHAMBER FOR CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be included in the technical field of artificial pollination devices and techniques, more particularly in anemophily under controlled environments, and it refers to a pollination chamber for controlled environments allowing fertilising plants, the natural pollination process of which is wind pollination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that a great number of crops are wind-pollinized, which represents a disadvantage in the growing scenery of the production systems under controlled environments. A plurality of devices are known to improve fertilisation in several crops in the current state of the art, which allow collecting pollen and packing it into containers for the subsequent use thereof, such as that described in patent number US8375690. Other devices using pollen being already treated and packed for feeding their systems and deliver pollen to other plants are described, for example, in patent number US3943660, which has the peculiarity that it has small dimensions. Other systems contemplate to collect pollen and disperse it back to other plants, as that disclosed in patent number US4922651 . Here, however, the collecting and dispersing ducts must be manually operated.

Controlled environments and development of associated alternatives simulating and promoting effectivity of production must be also directed towards automatized technologies, which may be remotely operated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers to a pollination chamber for controlled environments, which can collect pollen and make it circulate subsequently inside a chamber, with the purpose of pollinating plants accommodated therein. This chamber may be used in controlled environments, environments with limited ventilation or even in space missions.

With that purpose, the chamber comprises a closed and hollow container, preferably of parallelepiped geometry, provided with at least one upper opening and a side opening, inside of which donor plants are alternatively accommodated, from which the pollen is intended to be obtained, and receiving plants, which are intended for being pollinated by means of the pollen obtained from the donors.

At the upper opening of the chamber a microporous membrane is interposed, intended for retaining the pollen, as well as an upper closure lid provided with a high power ventilation device, having a reversible motor for creating an air stream forced by the inside area of said first duct.

Thanks to the reversible character of the motor, said stream may both suction the air from inside the container, in case it is desired to extract pollen from the donor plants, and the air introduction from the outside, when it is desired to cause the retained pollen to fall onto the membrane over the receiving plants. In order to automatize the process, the chamber comprises moving rails onto which pots having the plants are displaced, which are introduced and extracted from the container through an inlet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1.- It shows a schematic exploded view of the pollination chamber, showing the main constituting elements thereof. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The following is, with the help of the figures referred above, a detailed explanation of an exemplary preferred embodiment object of the present invention.

The pollination chamber for controlled environments being described is formed by a container (1 ), which in turn comprises side walls (2) being closed and attached to each other, a lower base (3) and at least one upper opening (4). A microporous membrane (5) is attached in an interposed manner to said opening (4), for retaining particles.

An upper lid (6) being coupled to the opening, closes the container (1 ) at the upper part thereof. Said lid (6) comprises a first through duct (7), to which a high power ventilation device (8) is attached, provided with a reversible motor for creating an air stream forced by the inner area of said first duct (7), said stream being either a suctioning or an introducing stream, due to said reversible character of the motor. The ventilation device (8) is attached to an external power source, in this case through a cable (9).

The container (1 ) comprises at least one inlet (10), which in this case is defined in one of the side walls (2) thereof, so as to provide for easy introduction and extraction of plants (1 1 ) into said container, for extracting the pollen thereof. The inlet (10) is provided with a corresponding opening and closing door (12).

In order to automatize the process, some rails (13) are also incorporated onto which pots with plants (1 1 ) are displaced which are introduced and extracted from the container (1 ) through the inlet (10), the door (12) of which is also automatized and synchronized with the rails (13) displacements. It is also provided for incorporating a second auxiliary through duct (14), which in this preferred embodiment is located at the door (12), as it is illustrated in the attached figure. Said second duct (14) allows the air to come into and out in a non-forced manner towards and from inside the container (1 ).

The pollination chamber thus described works by placing, in the first place, inside the container (1 ) the donor plants (1 1 ), from which the pollen is intended to be extracted, and activating the ventilation device (8), the reversible motor of which creates a forced air stream in the first duct (7) suctioning and extracting the air from inside the container (1 ), also detaching and dragging the pollen grains from the plants (1 1 ), which are retained in the microporous membrane (5).

Once the pollen is extracted, said donor plants (1 1 ) are extracted through the inlet (10) and new plants (1 1 ) are introduced, in this case receiving ones, which are intended to be pollinated by means of the pollen collected from the former and retained in the microporous membrane (5). Said introduction and extraction procedure, as indicated above, may be automatized by incorporating rails (13). Once the receiving plants (1 1 ) are introduced, the ventilation device (8) is actuated again, the reversible motor of which creates in this case a forced air stream in the first duct (7) driving and introducing air from the outside into the container (1 ), thus detaching and dragging the pollen grains being retained in the microporous membrane (5), which fall on the receiving plants (1 1 ), that are thus pollinated.

Claims

1 . Pollination chamber for controlled environments comprising:

- a container, for accommodating the plants, said container being formed at least by:

- side walls being closed and attached to each other,

- a lower base attached to the side walls, and

- an upper opening,

- a porous membrane in the opening, for retaining pollen particles, - a lid being attached to the opening for closing the container,

- a first through duct attached to the container for connecting the inside and the outside areas, and

- a high-power ventilation device, provided with a reversible motor for creating a forced air stream inside the first duct, where said stream may be a suctioning and an introducing stream,

said pollination chamber comprising:

- at least one inlet for introducing and extracting the plants from the container,

- an automatic door for opening and closing the inlet, and

- rails running between the outside and the inside of the container through the inlet and onto which plant pots are automatically displaced.

2. Pollination chamber according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises a second through duct for allowing the air to come out and into in a non- forced manner.