Phyto Tech Corp.

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Nucycle Therapy, Inc.

Michael J Blaylock

Burt D Ensley

Jianwei Huang

Mark Elless

Nanda P Kumar

Yoram Kapulnik

Slavik Dushenkov

The invention provides methods for producing edible plant tissue biomasses suitable for use as nutritional supplements. The seedlings are exposed to at least one metal and normal seedling growth is interrupted prior to the eleventh day following germination to thereby produce a metal-enriched plant seedling tissue biomass. The metal-containing edible plant tissue biomasses are also provided.

Nutritional supplements

A method of producing metal-rich plants for the production of nutritional supplements. Edible plants are placed in a growth environment containing metal, and are cultivated in a fashion which enhances the uptake of metal into edible portions of the plants. The plants are then harvested, and may be eaten directly or processed into capsule or tablet form, in order to obtain the metallic nutrients so incorporated.

The present invention provides methods by which hyperaccumulation of metals in plant shoots is induced by exposure to inducing agents. Hyperaccumulation occurs as part of a two-step process in which metals are first accumulated into plant roots; subsequent transport to plant shoots is induced by exposure to the agent. In preferred embodiments, manipulations that increase availability of metals to the plant are employed prior to application of the inducing agent. Effective inducing agents include conditions of low pH, chelators, herbicides, and high levels of heavy metals. Other phytotoxic agents are also useful. Application of multiple inducing agents results in synergistic effects.

Inducing hyperaccumulation of metals in plant shoots

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Dayton, NJ, United States of America

Michael J Blaylock