Abstract: The present invention provides manufactured seeds comprising a unit of a totipotent plant tissue and methods related to their production and use. The totipotent plant tissue is preferably disposed relative to a hydrated gel, preferably an oxygenated hydrated gel, so that liquids can be transfered from the gel to the embryo. It is also preferable that the shoot of the germinating embryo is enclosed in a shoot restraint that is resistant to penetration by the growing shoot and that the totipotent plant tissue, together with the gel and/or restraint, be at least partially surrounded by a protective seed coat. The manufactured seed can be stored for long periods of time after dehydration and/or freezing.

Abstract: The present invention provides manufactured seeds and related compositions and methods. The manufactured seeds comprise a unit of a totipotent plant tissue, preferably in contact with a hydrated gel. Preferably, the shoot of the germinating embryo is enclosed in a shoot restraint that is resistant to penetration by the growing shoot. The manufactured seed may be at least partially surrounded by a protective manufactured seed coat. The gel or the seed coat can include various additives, such as nutrients, antibiotics, or plant growth regulators.

Abstract: A manufactured seed is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel. The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing. The gel is preferably oxygenated by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicone oil, which compounds are capable of absorbing large amounts of oxygen, and are non-toxic and inert. The seed analog can further comprise an outer shell at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule. The outer shell preferably is shaped to aid the radical of a germinating embryo in protrusively rupturing the capsule, thereby facilitating successful germination and minimizing incidence of seedling malformation. Other shell materials are selected to provide requisite rigidity to the capsule while imparting minimal restriction to successful germination.

Abstract: The present invention provides manufactured seeds comprising totipotent plant tissue and a hydrated gel, preferably surrounded by a protective seed coat. The cotyledons of the germinating totipotent plant tissue can be enclosed in a shoot restraint that is resistant to penetration by the growing cotyledons. The manufactured seeds can be prepared for long-term storage, e.g., by sparging the hydrated gel with a respiration-limiting gas before, during, or after assembly of the manufactured seed. The seed is then preferably stored in an atmosphere containing levels of a respiration-limiting gas sufficient to keep respiration of the totipotent plant tissue at reduced levels.

Abstract: An analog of botanic seed is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel. The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing. The gel is preferably oxygenated by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicone oil, which compounds are capable of absorbing large amounts of oxygen, and are non-toxic and inert. The seed analog can further comprise an outer shell at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule. The outer shell preferably is shaped to aid the radicle of a germinating embryo in protrusively rupturing the capsule, thereby facilitating successful germination and minimizing incidence of seedling malformation.

Abstract: An analog of botanic seed is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel. The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing. The gel is preferably oxygenated by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicone oil, which compounds are capable of absorbing large amounts of oxygen, and are non-toxic and inert. An analog of botanic seed can further comprise an outer shell at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule. The outer shell preferably is shaped to aid the radicle of a germinating embryo in protrusively rupturing the capsule, thereby facilitating successful germination and minimizing incidence of seedling malformation.

Abstract: An analog of botanic seed is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel. The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing. The gel is preferably oxygenated by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicone oil, which compounds are capable of absorbing large amounts of oxygen, and are non-toxic and inert. The seed analog can further comprise an outer shell at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule. The outer shell preferably is shaped to aid the radicle of a germinating embryo in protrusively rupturing the capsule, thereby facilitating successful germination and minimizing incidence of seedling malformation.

Abstract: The invention is a method of ordering plant embryos so that a specified end of the embryo is always oriented in a predetermined direction. The embryos are preferably first fairly rapidly desiccated to about 15% moisture content. They are then suspended in a benign liquid flotation medium having a density in the range of about 1.059-1.104 g/cm.sup.3. The density must be adjusted empirically so that a predominant number of viable embryos will float and nonviable embryos will sink. In at least the case of conifer somatic embryos, they will float with the end bearing the latent cotyledons upward. After sufficient separation time in the flotation medium the oriented embryos are swept by a flowing liquid stream into a conduit. They enter cotyledon end first and are then carried to a delivery point without losing that orientation. Here they are separated from the transporting medium.

Abstract: An analog of botanic seed is disclosed which comprises a plant embryo preferably encapsulated, or at least in contact with, a hydrated oxygenated gel. The gel can be oxygenated by passing oxygen gas through a gel solution before curing the gel or by exposing the gel to oxygen gas after curing. The gel is preferably oxygenated by adding to an uncured gel solution a suitably stabilized emulsion of a perfluorocarbon compound or a silicon oil, which compounds are capable of absorbing large amounts of oxygen, and are non-toxic and inert. An analog of botanic see can further comprise an outer shell at least partially surrounding the gel and embryo, thereby forming a capsule. The outer shell preferably is shaped to aid the radicle of a germinating embryo in protrusively rupturing the capsule, thereby facilitating successful germination and minimizing incidence of seedling malformation.

Abstract: Annular pellets of burnable poison specifically boron carbide, B.sub.4 C, in a matrix of a refractory material, specifically aluminum oxide, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, are produced. The pellets are of small wall thickness. Powders of the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and the B.sub.4 C are milled in a ball mill in water in which a wetting agent, a surfactant and a deflocculant are included to produce a slurry. Organic binders and plasticizers are added. Then the slurry is spray dried in a centrifugal separator. The resulting powder is poured into a mold and a turbular green body is formed by isostatic pressure. The tube may be sintered to size as a whole and then cut into lengths; i.e., pellets, or the green body may be cut into green-body pellets which are then sintered.