Transplant production systems proceedings of the International Symposium on Transplant Production Systems ; Yokohama, Japan, 21 - 26 July 1992

As biotechnology produces an unprecedented number of new plantvarieties, automated transplant production systems offer the means for their large-scale introduction via a rapid, efficient and economic method. As labour costs increase, so will automated systems assume even greater importance. Reforestation and afforestation projects, anti-des-ertification plantings and an increasing demand for urban greenery also create enormous demands for the mass production of high quality transplants, in addition to the commercial needs of the agriculture industry. The application of engineering techniques to modern micropropagation techniques and plant production means that many tasks can be automated, especially physical manipulation and close control of the microenvironment. This volume provides overviews of the main con-cepts — plug seedling production, micropropagation, robotization, model development, measurement and environmental control — with an emphasis on practical considerations. Examples are drawn from flower, vegetable and forest tree species to show how disciplines such as robotics and image analysis have a part to play in plant production. Front Matter....Pages i-x Propagation and Transplant Production Technology of New Floral Crops....Pages 1-20 Comparisons of Different Plant Production Methods for Forest Trees....Pages 21-44 Low-Temperature Storage of Bedding-Plant Plugs....Pages 45-64 Present State of Transplant Production Practices in Japanese Horticultural Industry....Pages 65-82 Automation-Culture-Environment Based Systems Analysis of Transplant Production....Pages 83-102 Issues in Robotic System Design for Transplant Production Systems....Pages 103-116 Measurement and Control in Transplant Production Systems....Pages 117-136 Perspective of Micropropagation Industry....Pages 137-150 Mass Propagation of Strawberry and New Alternatives for Some Horticultural Crops....Pages 151-162 Micropropagation of Forest Trees....Pages 163-194 In Vitro Mass Propagation of Rice....Pages 195-211 Towards a Model of Mineral Nutrition in Vitro....Pages 213-229 Environmental and Hormonal Effects in Micropropagation....Pages 231-246 The In Vitro Environment and its Control in Micropropagation....Pages 247-282 Robotics and Image Analysis Applied to Micropropagation....Pages 283-296 Automated Micropropagation and the Application of a Laser Beam for Cutting....Pages 297-311 Transplant Production Robots in Japan....Pages 313-329 Back Matter....Pages 331-335 Proceedings of the International Symposium on Transplant Production Systems, Yokohama, Japan, July 21-26, 1992