DEVICE FOR DETERMINING DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT ROOT SYSTEM Russian patent published in 1995 - IPC

FIELD: agriculture and biology; mechanical engineering. SUBSTANCE: device for determining degree of development of plant root system is complemented by seed germination device incorporating vegetation reservoir filled with either nutrient solution or water and housing main seed cradle made of water-absorbing light-transparent material and auxiliary cradle also made of water-absorbing light-transparent material. These cradles are disposed on opposite tapered walls of funnel-shaped housing resting on supports inside reservoir. Seeds must be placed in between cradles first of which must be wetted. Hence, developing plant root system turns out to be positioned in dense damp medium and thus develops normally. For measuring length of plant root system and assessing degree of its maturity, reservoir must be placed in device designed for controlling rate of development of plant root system. This device incorporates source of optical radiation and photodetector connected to counting unit. EFFECT: disclosed invention permits automatizing process of gathering information about length and intensity of development of root system of plant in any phase of its development. 2 dwg