DSU plant propagation innovation awarded patents
Another patent invention has emerged from Delaware State University that can dramatically reduce the planting cost of a major energy crop.
Dr. Bertrand Hankoua, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Ecology, and Dr. Ayalew Osena, a former DSU postdoctoral researcher who is now at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, have been awarded a series of three patents for their development of a cost-effective system for effectively and mass-multiplying the Giant Miscanthus plant.
The official title for all three patents is “System for Rapid, Robust, and Efficient in vitro Mass Propagatoin of MISCANTHUS x GIGANTEUS.” Because the system involves three separate complex processes, three patents had to be obtained.
The genotype Miscanthus x giganteus is highly desired dedicated feedstock by the U.S. government for use in developing biofuels, high-value chemicals, and bioenergy. However, the challenges with this plant have been in its mass reproduction – which was found to be extremely time-consuming and expensive.
“While Giant Miscanthus is highly desired as a renewable energy source, it was found to be difficult to grow, as it is a sterile plant that does not produce seeds,” said Dr. Hankoua, who is the primary inventor on these patents.
Through research funded by a 2014 USDA grant, Dr. Hankoua and Dr. Osena developed a systemic method for taking immature shoots (known scientifically as “tillers”) from a Giant Miscanthus plant. The shoots are sterilized, split in half, and then incubated in a highly nutritious culture media that also has plant growth hormones.
Through that process, the split shoots multiply dramatically.
“In short, we started with split immature tillers which produced in vitro shoots on a culture media. From these shoots, we were able to produce hundreds and thousands of Giant Miscanthus seedlings,” Dr. Osena said. “We then acclimatized these seedlings and planted them at the University’s Research Farm in Smyrna, Del.”
“We planted about 50 plants at the farm in 2016; it is still forming a very dense strand that now looks like a jungle,” Dr. Osena said.
Dr. Hankoua said the patent awards are not the end of this DSU research story.
“Now that this technology is patented, the next step will be to license it to local, regional, national, and International perennial grass growers, especially those who massively produce and commercialize Miscanthus X Giganteus seedlings for various applications such as biofuels, pellets for heat generation, biobased chemicals, fibers, bioelectricity, biochar, and animal bedding, etc,” Dr. Hankoua said.
Dr. Hankoua is the fifth DSU researcher to obtain a patent for the research products. Other patents awardees include:
• Dr. Nourenddine Melikechi, a former DSU Professor of Physics and Optics, along with co-inventor Dr. Aristides Marcano, currently a DSU Professor of Physics; two 2011 patents: Mono- and Multi-Element Coded Libs Assays and Methods (2011), and Fiber Optics Sound Detector (2011).
• Dr. Andrew Goudy, a former DSU Chair and Professor of Chemistry, along with co-inventors Dr. Tolupe Durojuiye and Dr. Jalaal Hayes; Rubidium Hydride Catalyzed Alloys (2014).
• Dr. Daniela Radu, a former DSU Associate Professor of Chemistry, and co-inventor Dr. Cheng-Yu Lai; Nanoscale Precursors for Synthesis of Fe.sub.2(Si, GE) (S, Se).sub.4 crystalline particles and layers (2014).
• Dr. Mukti Rana, Professor of Physics; three patents: Medium Wave Infrared and Long Wavelength Infrared Operating Microbolometer with Raised Strut Design (2017, with co-inventor Dr. Andrew B. Voshell); co-inventors Dr. Larine Mbabit-Tebit and Dr. Dhar Nibir); Germanium Tin Oxide Thin Films for Uncooled Infrared Detectors (2018, with co-inventor Dr. Jaime D. Cardona); Germanium Silicone Tin Oxide Thin Films for Uncooled Infrared Detection (2019, with co-inventor Dr. Jamie D. Cardona).