US5129180A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Temperature sensitive seed germination control
Assignee: GE Canada Finance Holding Co
•
Filing: 1990-12-07
•
Granted: 1992-07-14
•
Expires: 2010-12-07
Abstract
Abstract Coated organisms and particularly coated seeds are provided wherein the coating is comprised of one or more polymeric materials which form a coating having a temperature-dependent permeability with respect to a material such as water permeability. The polymeric materials used in making the coatings are relatively impermeable to the material such as water at cooler temperatures (less than optimum growth or germination temperatures) and relatively permeable at higher temperatures (at or greater than optimum growth or germination temperatures). The variable permeability of the coating prevents imbibition at lower temperatures and allows it at higher temperatures. Accordingly, coated seeds can be planted early in a planting season and undergo imbibition followed by germination under favorable moisture and temperature conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Ray F. Stewart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:09
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01C; A01C1/00; A01C1/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S47/00; Y10S47/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a crystallizable polymer coating impermeable to water at a temperature below a phase-transition temperature of the polymer to the extend that germination of the seed is prevented due to lack of water and permeable to water at a temperature above the transition temperature whereby the water permeability of the coating is increased five fold or more above the phase transition temperature as compared with the water permeability below the phase transition temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a crystallizable polymer coating impermeable to water at a temperature below a phase-transition temperature of the polymer to the extend that germination of the seed is prevented due to lack of water and permeable to water at a temperature above the transition temperature whereby the water permeability of the coating is increased five fold or more above the phase transition temperature as compared with the water permeability below the phase transition temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase transition temperature is in the range of about 0° C. to about 41° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The coated organism claimed in claim 2, wherein the phase transition temperature is in the range of about 21° C. to about 35° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a side-chain crystallizable polymer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polyether.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a homo- or co-polymer of tetrahydrofuran.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polyurethane comprised of polytetrahydrofuran homo- or co-polymer soft segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The coated organism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymer is a polyester comprised of polytetrahydrofuran homo- or co-polymer soft segments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a sidechain crystallizable polymer having a water permeability which is two times or more greater above a phase transition temperature range of the polymer than is the water permeability of the coating below the phase transition temperature range of the polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a sidechain crystallizable polymer having a water permeability which is two times or more greater above a phase transition temperature range of the polymer than is the water permeability of the coating below the phase transition temperature range of the polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
105 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a side-chain crystallizable polymer which coating prevents the seed from imbibing more than 24% by weight of water at a temperature below the seed's minimum germination temperature when the seed is exposed to water over a period of 14 days and which coating allows the seed to imbibe 60% or more by weight of water in a 15 hour period when the seed is subjected to a temperature above the minimum germination temperature of the seed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
105 words
A coated seed, comprising: a seed; and a coating which encloses and separates the seed and a surrounding inside environment from an outside environment, the coating being comprised of a side-chain crystallizable polymer which coating prevents the seed from imbibing more than 24% by weight of water at a temperature below the seed's minimum germination temperature when the seed is exposed to water over a period of 14 days and which coating allows the seed to imbibe 60% or more by weight of water in a 15 hour period when the seed is subjected to a temperature above the minimum germination temperature of the seed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coated seed as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coating prevents the seed from imbibing more than 17% by weight of water at a temperature below the optimum germination temperature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The coated seed as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seed is selected from the group consisting of cotton, soybean, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprout, bean, pea, tomato, potato, tobacco, rice, wheat, and sunflower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coated seed as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seed is a member of the brassica family.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coated seed as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seed is a member of the solanaceae family.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The coated seed as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seed is a corn seed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3545129A
Cited
US3698133A
Cited
US3920436A
Cited
US3808740A
Cited
US4344979A
Cited
US4251952A
Cited
US4238523A
Cited
US4779376A
Cited
US4780987A
Cited
US4735017A
Cited
US4879839A
Cited
US4777762A
Cited
US4769945A
Cited
JPH02167005A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-07-14 | 1996-01-13 | 1996-07-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-07-14 | 2000-01-13 | 2000-07-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-07-14 | 2004-01-13 | 2004-07-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |