Abstract: A manufactured seed is provided. The manufactured seed includes a seed shell housing a nutritive media and a restraint disposed within the seed shell. The restraint includes a cavity. The manufactured seed also includes an embryo disposed within the cavity and a fill material disposed within the cavity. The manufactured further includes a seal disposed on the seed shell to seal the embryo within the seed shell.

Abstract: A method of preparing a material for use in a manufactured seed is provided. The method includes providing the material having a melting temperature. The method also includes subjecting the material to a heat treatment at a temperature about 10% below the melting temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A manufactured seed is provided. The manufactured seed includes a seed shell housing a nutritive media and a restraint disposed within the seed shell. The restraint includes a cavity. The manufactured seed also includes an embryo disposed within the cavity and a fill material disposed within the cavity. The manufactured further includes a seal disposed on the seed shell to seal the embryo within the seed shell.

Abstract: A method of preparing a material for use in a manufactured seed is provided. The method includes providing the material having a melting temperature. The method also includes subjecting the material to a heat treatment at a temperature about 10% below the melting temperature for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An artificial seed is provided. The artificial seed includes a seed shell having a cavity sized and configured to receive an embryo. The artificial seeds also includes a live end seal and a tertiary seal. The live end seal is attached to the seed shell and is positioned to substantially seal the embryo within the seed shell. The tertiary seal is attached to the live end seal and includes a pesticide additive to inhibit at least bacterial growth on the tertiary seal.

Abstract: The invention herein provides for the detection of certain calcium containing endospores, and particularly pertains to the detection of bacillus anthracis by first chelating calcium ions of said endospores and then reacting the chelated calcium ions with aequorin to generate a light pulse which can then be detected by a standard liquid scintillation spectrometer.

Abstract: The invention herein provides for the detection of certain organic halogen-containing agents or toxicants such as sarin, chloropicrin, mustard gas, mustard chlorohydrin, phosgene, chlorine, soman, lewisite, diphosgene and others by, in one embodiment, first reacting the agents with superoxide free radical anion (.O{overscore (2)}) to produce light pulses which can be detected by a standard photon counter. The superoxide may be available from a dimethyl sulfoxide superoxide (.O{overscore (2)}) liquid solution, from lecithin coated beads charged with superoxide (.O{overscore (2)}) in a reaction vessel or from a quarternary ammonium ion exchange resin charged with superoxide anion (.O{overscore (2)}) in a reaction vessel.

Abstract: The invention herein provides for the detection of certain calcium containing endospores, and particularly pertains to the detection of bacillus anthracis by first chelating calcium ions of said endospores and then reacting the chelated calcium ions with aequorin to generate a light pulse which can then be detected by a standard liquid scintillation spectrometer.