ROOTS is continuing to strengthen its intellectual property (IP) portfolio following a filing of a comprehensive Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for “Fluid Management System for Supporting Root Systems”.

Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies (ASX:ROO) says the patent follows the submission of a provisional patent  last  year  to the United States Patent Office (USPO).

USPO granted ROO the design patent in May.  The comprehensive PCT patent for “Fluid Management System for Supporting Root Systems” relates to ROO’s cutting edge unified function machine that controls root zone temperatures as well as controlling irrigation and liquid fertilisation temperatures.

ROO says by controlling these three functions the machine will provide plants with optimal growing conditions, managing a stable root zone temperature to achieve production security and maximum yield.

At the same time, it will irrigate with water and liquid fertiliser, through the same piping infrastructure, at stable and moderate temperatures to allow full production potential of the plants to become reality.

ROOS says extreme irrigation and liquid fertilisers’ temperatures often damage crop’s growth during winter and summer.

A prototype of the machine was built and tested on several crops successfully at ROO’s Israel farm.

 

Roots prototype of the machine Image: Supplied

 

Climate change creates need to stabilise growing conditions

ROO says because of climate change, the demand for maintaining stable and ideal root zone temperatures has been increasing.

The company says stability in plant growing conditions is crucial to enhance production security and enable year-round growth of both agricultural and ornamental plants.

To achieve this, state-of-the-art technologies are employed, such as drip irrigation systems that integrate fertilisation.

These systems draw from a fertilising tank to provide the necessary irrigation and nutrients (fertigation) to the plants.

The current focus is on optimising root zone temperatures to ensure the plants achieve their best agronomic performance.

 

Use in home gardens and commercial farms

ROO says the machine has the potential to service two potential large market segments – home gardens and commercial farms.

To the best knowledge of the company, ROO says it’s not aware of any other companies offering such a unified solution that saves considerable expenses, especially to farmers not having to buy separate equipment for each function.

CEO Boaz Wachtel said ROO is pleased to report the submission of a key patent to expand the product mix and cater to new markets.

“The new patent for a unified system for controlling root zone temperatures as well as irrigation and fertigation temperatures hold promise to provide food and ornamental production even under severe weather conditions,” he says.

“It is aimed both to serve farmers involved with food crops production and home food and ornamental growers as well as to the municipal market.

“Once the patent is approved, we shall submit to expand the IP coverage to additional jurisdictions beyond USA.”

ROO  secured a design patent with the USPO for its unique Heat Exchange Probe (HEP) technology in May.

USPO granted United States Design Application No. 35/513,369 under the designation ‘Adapter for Pipe Joints’, following patent approval in Canada under the same designation.

This article was developed in collaboration with Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

 

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