Method and apparatus for controlling plant growth

Claim 1

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising: generating an applied magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through a space in which viable plant material is positioned, said applied magnetic field resulting in a magnetic flux density in said space of a known average value parallel to said predetermined axis; fluctuating said magnetic flux density such that said known average value is a non-zero average value; creating a predetermined relationship between the frequency of said fluctuations and said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density, wherein said predetermined relationship is determined using the equation f ch =XBq/2πm, where f ch is the frequency of the fluctuating magnetic flux density in Hertz, B is the non-zero average value of the flux density parallel to said predetermined axis in Tesla, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs, m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and X is a selected odd integer greater than 1, such that said predetermined relationship is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material.

Claim 2

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising: generating an applied magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through a space in which viable plant material is positioned, said applied magnetic field resulting in a magnetic flux density in said space of a known average value parallel to said predetermined axis; fluctuating said magnetic flux density such that said known average value is a non-zero average value; creating a predetermined relationship between the frequency of said fluctuations and said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density, wherein said predetermined relationship is determined using the equation f ch =XBq/2πm, where f ch is the frequency of the fluctuating magnetic flux density in Hertz, B is the non-zero average value of the flux density parallel to said predetermined axis in Tesla, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs, m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and X is a selected odd integer greater than 1, such that said predetermined relationship is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material.

Claim 7

A method for controlling plant growth comprising the steps of: positioning a magnetic field generating means adjacent viable plant material such that said plant material occupies a predetermined space; generating a magnetic flux with said magnetic field generating means, said magnetic flux extending through said plant material parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through said predetermined space; fluctuating said magnetic flux and controlling the density of said magnetic flux to create and maintain a predetermined relationship between the frequency of said fluctuations and the magnitude of said magnetic flux density which is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material; and wherein said predetermined relationship of said frequency to said magnitude of said magnetic flux density is determined as a function of f.sub.c /B=q/(2πm) where f c is said frequency in Hertz, B is the average value of said magnetic flux density in Tesla parallel to said predetermined axis, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 Coulombs per kilogram.

Claim 8

A method for controlling plant growth comprising the steps of: positioning a magnetic field generating means adjacent viable plant material such that said plant material occupies a predetermined space; generating a magnetic flux with said magnetic field generating means, said magnetic flux extending through said plant material parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through said predetermined space; fluctuating said magnetic flux and controlling the density of said magnetic flux to create and maintain a predetermined relationship between the frequency of said fluctuations and the magnitude of said magnetic flux density which is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material; and wherein said predetermined relationship of said frequency to said magnitude of said magnetic flux density is determined as a function of f.sub.c /B=q/(2πm) where f c is said frequency in Hertz, B is the average value of said magnetic flux density in Tesla parallel to said predetermined axis, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 Coulombs per kilogram.

Claim 13

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising the steps of: generating a fluctuating applied magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through a space in which viable plant material is positioned, said applied magnetic field resulting in a magnetic flux density in said space of a known non-zero average value parallel to said predetermined axis; fluctuating said magnetic flux density such that said known average value is a non-zero average value; selecting at least two ions present in said plant material; determining a value f ch for each of said selected ions where f ch =XBq/2πm, where B is said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density along said axis, q is the charge of each of said ions in Coulombs, m is the mass of each of said ions in kilograms and X is a selected positive non-zero odd integer, said f ch value being a value which is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material; selecting a value f cs in Hertz from which each value f ch deviates less than a predetermined percentage; fluctuating said magnetic field parallel to said axis at a rate which is equal to said f cs value; and maintaining the ratio of said f cs rate of fluctuation to said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density parallel to said axis, whereby said ratio is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material.

Claim 14

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising the steps of: generating a fluctuating applied magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through a space in which viable plant material is positioned, said applied magnetic field resulting in a magnetic flux density in said space of a known non-zero average value parallel to said predetermined axis; fluctuating said magnetic flux density such that said known average value is a non-zero average value; selecting at least two ions present in said plant material; determining a value f ch for each of said selected ions where f ch =XBq/2πm, where B is said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density along said axis, q is the charge of each of said ions in Coulombs, m is the mass of each of said ions in kilograms and X is a selected positive non-zero odd integer, said f ch value being a value which is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material; selecting a value f cs in Hertz from which each value f ch deviates less than a predetermined percentage; fluctuating said magnetic field parallel to said axis at a rate which is equal to said f cs value; and maintaining the ratio of said f cs rate of fluctuation to said non-zero average value of said magnetic flux density parallel to said axis, whereby said ratio is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant material.

Claim 20

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising: generating an applied magnetic flux parallel to a predetermined axis and projecting through a predetermined space, said space being occupied by viable plant material adjacent a magnetic flux generating means; said flux generating means having at least two field coils, said field coils having an axis extending therethrough parallel to said predetermined axis, each of said field coils further having at least two windings, one of said windings of each coil being an ac winding and the other of said windings being a dc winding, said ac winding having an associated full-wave rectifier and an oscillator; measuring an ambient field existing in said predetermined space along said predetermined axis in the region of said plant material; said applied magnetic flux generating step including the steps of generating with said dc winding a magnetic flux which reduces said ambient field to substantially zero and generating with said ac windings an ac magnetic field having a component along said predetermined axis in said predetermined space, said ac magnetic field component having a preselected root mean square value which alters the natural growth rate of said plant material; and said preselected root mean square value being a function of ##EQU2## where f o is the frequency of said ac magnetic field component along said axis in Hertz, B o is the average value of said magnetic field component in Tesla, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 , Coulombs per kilogram.

Claim 21

A method for controlling plant growth, comprising: generating an applied magnetic flux parallel to a predetermined axis and projecting through a predetermined space, said space being occupied by viable plant material adjacent a magnetic flux generating means; said flux generating means having at least two field coils, said field coils having an axis extending therethrough parallel to said predetermined axis, each of said field coils further having at least two windings, one of said windings of each coil being an ac winding and the other of said windings being a dc winding, said ac winding having an associated full-wave rectifier and an oscillator; measuring an ambient field existing in said predetermined space along said predetermined axis in the region of said plant material; said applied magnetic flux generating step including the steps of generating with said dc winding a magnetic flux which reduces said ambient field to substantially zero and generating with said ac windings an ac magnetic field having a component along said predetermined axis in said predetermined space, said ac magnetic field component having a preselected root mean square value which alters the natural growth rate of said plant material; and said preselected root mean square value being a function of ##EQU2## where f o is the frequency of said ac magnetic field component along said axis in Hertz, B o is the average value of said magnetic field component in Tesla, q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 , Coulombs per kilogram.

Claim 22

An apparatus for controlling plant growth, comprising: means for generating an applied magnetic flux parallel to a predetermined axis and projecting through a predetermined space containing viable plant material; means for measuring magnetic flux density parallel to said predetermined axis in said predetermined space, said magnetic flux density measuring means being adapted to measure a magnetic flux density having a non-zero average value; means associated with said flux generating means for fluctuating said applied magnetic flux; means for creating and maintaining a relationship between the rate of fluctuation of said magnetic flux and the intensity of said magnetic flux density, where said predetermined relationship is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant tissue; and said predetermined relationship being a function of f.sub.c /B=q/(2πm) where f c is frequency in Hertz, B is the average value of said magnetic flux density in Tesla parallel to said predetermined axis q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 Coulombs per kilogram.

Claim 23

An apparatus for controlling plant growth, comprising: means for generating an applied magnetic flux parallel to a predetermined axis and projecting through a predetermined space containing viable plant material; means for measuring magnetic flux density parallel to said predetermined axis in said predetermined space, said magnetic flux density measuring means being adapted to measure a magnetic flux density having a non-zero average value; means associated with said flux generating means for fluctuating said applied magnetic flux; means for creating and maintaining a relationship between the rate of fluctuation of said magnetic flux and the intensity of said magnetic flux density, where said predetermined relationship is effective in altering the natural growth rate of said plant tissue; and said predetermined relationship being a function of f.sub.c /B=q/(2πm) where f c is frequency in Hertz, B is the average value of said magnetic flux density in Tesla parallel to said predetermined axis q is the charge of a preselected ion present in said plant material in Coulombs and m is the mass of said preselected ion in kilograms, and q/m has a value of from about 5×10 5 to about 100×10 6 Coulombs per kilogram.