Kirin Beer Kabushiki Kaisha

Plant Genetics

Yuji Sakamoto

Akira Suzuki

Seiichi Umeda

Hiroaki Ogishima

Keith Redenbaugh

Yuko Masuda

Jon A Fujii

Methods and materials are provided for the improved production of gel beads useful for encapsulating plant reproductive units.

Alginate gel bead

A culture medium device in the form of a sheet comprises a base sheet member composed of an upper sheet having a hydrophilic property such as filter paper, a lower sheet having a water repellent property covering a lower surface of the upper hydrophilic sheet and a sheet member having a water repellent property preferably in the form of a film having a character suitable for bacteria to be treated. A gel agent or gelatinizer containing bacteria culturing nutrient is dispersed on an upper surface of the upper hydrophilic sheet of the base sheet member and the gel agent or gelatinizer is absorbed in the upper hydrophilic sheet and then solidified. The upper water repellent sheet member is applied so as to cover the upper surface of the upper hydrophilic sheet of the base sheet member.

Culture medium device for bacteria

Methods and materials are provided for coating hydrogel capsules containing botanic tissue with an inert substance that decrease capsule surface adhesiveness and facilitates singulation and flowability of the hydrogel capsules. The coating may be composed of at least one hydrophobic powder capable of forming a discontinuous film about the capsule surface.

Powder coated hydrogel capsules

A sustained-release granule of sugar comprising a core comprising primarily one or more of a monosaccharide, a disaccharide and a trisaccharide and an outer film comprising 10-90% by weight of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and 90-10% by weight of a wax. This sustained-release granule of sugar may be prepared by coating a core comprising primarily one or more of a monosaccharide, a disaccharide and a trisaccharide with a coating material comprising 10-90% by weight of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and 90-10% by weight of a wax by spraying a solution of the coating material onto the core while tumbling or fluidizing the core. The sustained-release granule of sugar can be applied in an artificial seed comprising an active plant tissue and the sustained-release granule of sugar which are encapsulated in a gel matrix.

Artificial seed comprising a sustained-release sugar granule

Bead producing process and an apparatus in which sol having enzymes, plant tissues, etc. dispersed therein is dropped into a solidifying liquid through a perforated plate. The sol is fed from a sol supply tank to a position near of the outer periphery of the planet gear of a planetary gear mechanism which is disposed on the perforated plate. At this moment, the sol supply tank is raised at a given rate in proportion to a decrease in the liquid level thereof so that the liquid level of the sol in the sol supply tank may be kept constant with respect to the perforated plate.

Growing community of inventors

Tochigi, Japan

Yuji Sakamoto