M.Sc. Defence - Kevin Piunno

Overview:

Interested Members of the University Community are invited to attend the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Science of Kevin Piunno of the Department of Plant Agriculture

Date: Thursday, September 5th
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Room 202, Crop Science Building

Thesis Title: 3D PRINTING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF THREE NOVEL LIQUID MEDIA SYSTEMS FOR PLANT TISSUE CULTURE

Advisory Committee                                       
Dr. Max Jone, Advisor
Dr. Praveen K. Saxena, Co-Advisor
Dr. Youbin Zheng

Examination Committee
Dr. David Wolyn, Chair
Dr. Max Jones
Dr. Youbin Zheng
Dr. Jay Subramanian

 ABSTRACT

Labour represents a significant portion of the cost for micropropagated plants, and automation is a potential solution to increase efficiency. Micropropagation most often uses semisolid media, but many tissue culture authors suggest that liquid systems are the key to developing efficient automated systems. However, liquid cultures require ancillary pneumatic or mechanical systems to prevent hypoxia or hyperhydricity of tissues. In this study, three novel liquid culture systems were proposed, designed, produced, and evaluated. The design and production of these systems was enabled by the use of low-cost consumer-grade 3D printing technology. The first system uses neither pneumatics, mechanics, nor porous substrates and constitutes a new category of hydrostatic liquid culture systems. The second uses a two-pieces scaffold to facilitate liquid rooting. The third device overcomes the main disadvantages of mechanical temporary immersion systems by allowing full immersion timing control and a small footprint. Together, these new approaches to liquid culture offer more choices for industry and may help move toward increased automation.