SBIR Phase I: Reduction of Heat-Induced Symptoms in Plants with Micro-Phase Change Materials

9860769 这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将研究开拓性技术，以调节植物表面的小气候，以减少与热有关的损害和随后的经济损失。这在美国南部特别有利，因为那里的气温会长时间过高。此外，全球变暖的可能性可能会对经济作物产生影响。当温度超过植物的最佳范围时，有害症状就会出现。植物中的热诱导症状包括花粉不育（例如玉米）、生长受阻、果实变小/变形、品质下降、果实变少、荚果饱满度降低和棉铃脱落（在棉花中）。本项目将通过实际调节电厂表面温度，在消除或减少损害的范围内，解决上述问题开始发展的临界温度。1984年至1998年，Triangle R D（Triangle R D）在SBIR计划中开发了相变材料（microPCMs）及其用途的创新微胶囊技术。我们将评估microPCM和目标植物的兼容性;设计和制造microPCM，为目标植物提供最佳温度范围;并评估microPCM调节植物表面微气候和减少与热相关的症状。 1996年，仅美国的大豆、棉花和玉米的总价值就超过470亿美元。根据与高温相关的产量损失百分比和美国南部的温度历史，这三种主要农作物的价值很容易就会减少数亿美元，甚至更多。此外，干旱条件和随后的灌溉降低了作物生产的价值，增加了成本。最后，由于南部和西南部的温度，通常产量较低，但更多的耐热品种被种植，因此一些高产品种的潜力没有实现。

9860769 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project will investigate pioneering technology to regulate the microclimate on plant surface(s) to reduce heat-related damage and subsequent economic losses. This would be especially beneficial in the southern U.S. where excessively high temperatures occur for prolonged periods. Further, the possibility of global warming will likely have an impact on economic crops. As temperatures exceed the optimum range for a plant, deleterious symptoms develop. Heat-induced symptoms in plants include pollen sterility (e.g. corn), stunted growth, smaller/deformed fruit, decreased quality, fewer fruit, less pod fill, and boll drop (in cotton). This project will address those critical temperatures where the above-mentioned problems begin to develop by actually regulating the temperature on the plant surface within a range where damage is eliminated or reduced. Innovative microencapsulation techniques for phase change materials (microPCMs) and their uses have been developed by Triangle R&D (Subcontractor) on SBIR programs from 1984 to 1998. We will evaluate the compatibility of microPCMs and the targeted plants; design and fabricate microPCMs to provide the optimum temperature range(s) for the target plants; and evaluate the microPCM(s) to regulate the plant surface microclimate and reduce heat-related symptoms. In 1996, the combined value of soybeans, cotton, and corn in the U.S. alone was more than 47 billion dollars. Based on the percent of yield loss correlated with high temperatures and the temperature history in the southern U.S., values for these three major crops could easily be reduced by several hundred million dollars, if not more. In addition, drought conditions and subsequent irrigation reduce value and add cost to crop production. Finally, because of temperatures in the south and southwest, often less yielding, but more heat-tolerant cultivars are grown, thus potential for some high-yielding cultivars are not realized.