Thomas G Atkins

US Patent:

63214873, Nov 27, 2001

Filed:

Mar 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/271378

Inventors:

Sandra Sardanelli - Beltsville MD
Thomas W. Atkins - Beltsville MD
William J. Kenworthy - Greenbelt MD

Assignee:

University of Maryland - College Park MD

International Classification:

A01G 2500

US Classification:

47 81

Abstract:

A growth medium moisture replacement system particularly useful in bioassays for Heterodera glycines--Glycine female development includes a first container of growth medium for soybean cultivars, an enclosed second container for water, and a wick which extends upwardly from the water in the second container into the growth medium in the first container to replace moisture in the growth medium after establishment of a hydraulic gradient. The wick includes a rope member having an impermeable sheath around a middle portion of the rope member, leaving its ends uncovered, and sealed to an opening in the bottom of the first container. Another related growth medium moisture replacement system involves an enclosed container for water having a tube extending downwardly from within the container and sealingly through an opening in the bottom of the container to an end having holes therein, and a wick which extends first upwardly in the container and then downwardly in the tube to an end near the end of the tube to deliver moisture from within the container downwardly into the growth medium in which the tube extends.