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.