Plant milking technology. Researcher setting up a hydroponic cultivation unit for Datura plants in a Plant Advanced Technologies (PAT) research laboratory. PAT have developed a method for extracting active plant substances from a plant's roots. A substance added to the hydroponic growth culture increases the permeability of the roots. This non-destructive process can be applied to rare and protected plants. PAT, launched in July 2005 in Nancy, France, produces novel plant extracts for pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies.