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ACCELERATING SEED GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH THROUGH MANIPULATING OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IN ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMBERS

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 6720
Amount: $50,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1988
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
Po Box 2214
Glenview, IL 60025
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 R LOUIS WARE
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTENED TIME TO GERMINATE SEEDS, IMPROVED RATE OF GROWTH OF YOUNG PLANTS, MORE MASSIVE AND RAPID ROOT GROWTH WITH RESULTANT GREATER DRY WEIGHT IS ACHIEVED BY SUBJECTING SEEDS AND PLANT SPECIMENS TO FREQUENT CHANGES IN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. THESE PRESSURE CHANGES ARE WITHIN THERANGE OF ATMOSPHERIC BAROMETRIC VARIATIONS. ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMBERS OF RELATIVELY SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION WITH AIR EXPELLEDAND INGESTED BY A VACUUM TURBINE CREATES THE REQUIRED PRESSURE DIFFERENTIALS FOR ACCELERATED GROWTH. THIS IS A NEW METHOD FOR FASTER GERMINATION OF SEEDS, AND POSSIBLY CONDITIONING PRIOR TO PLANTING. IT IS A NEW CONCEPT FOR INTENSIVE CULTIVATION FOR A GIVEN AREA. SUCH A TECHNIQUE COUPLED WITH CONTROL OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS IS EXPECTED TO REDUCE SOME CROP CYCLE TIMES, IMPROVE ROOT DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVE OVERALL GROWING SPACE. ONCE INTEGRATED INTO A WORKING PROCEDURE, THE NASA CONTROLLED ECOLOGICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM (CELSS) SHOULD BENEFIT MEASURABLY.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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