A plantlet holder (25) is formed of nutrient solution-absorbing, open celled, phenolic foam, with an upper handling portion (55), an insertion well (60) for a plantlet and a lower portion (56) adapted to laterally locate in a ring (30) in a work stand (24), the handling portion (55) adapted to be frictionally gripped for robotic or manual handling. Robotic handling apparatus includes a pair of plantlet holder gripper manipulator arms (40) adapted to engage the handling portion (55) for movement of a plantlet holder (25) between a material source portion, an operator work portion (14), and a material delivery portion. The operator work portion (14) is characterised by the work stands (24) locating the plantlet holders vertically by a step portion (32).

A cutting tool is provided. The cutting tool is comprised of a body, the body including a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, each of the first wall, the second wall and the third wall extending generally upward from a base, a blade holder; the blade holder including a first side and a second side, a trough, the trough formed by the intersection of the first wall, the second wall, the third wall and the base, the trough sized to seat said blade holder, a strut assembly, the strut assembly including a spring, a blade, a blade channel, an angled body channel and wherein the blade holder is rotated relative to the body to enable the blade to cut through a plant stem or tree branch present in the blade channel and the angled body channel.

A modular commercial plant cloning system and method for stimulating root growth from a plant stem. The system includes a supporting frame, a light source, a fluid reservoir, and a cooling element. The supporting frame further includes a plurality of mounting points for securing a plant holding device tray at a desired height and spacing within the supporting frame below the light source. The plant holding device tray houses a plurality of plant holding devices that the plant stems are placed in during the cloning process. The lower end of the supporting frame includes the fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid reservoir further includes a cooling element therein. Additionally, the fluid delivery system helps transport fluid from the fluid reservoir to the sprayer nozzles which are configured to distribute fluid across the plant stems disposed within the plant holding device tray.

A plant propagation system, process and method are provided for promoting the growth of plant tissue into propagules using a photoautotrophic gel system. The plant propagation system includes a sterile growth vessel that has a vented lid to permit passive diffusion of gases. The process is initiated with one or more sterile rooted explants, which are then cultured in a large container with a vented lid photoautotrophically, which simulates ex-vitro growth conditions. These nodal explants can then be rooted onto photoautotrophic rooting agar gel in vented lid containers and subsequently transferred onto a substrate of choice for mature growth ex-vitro.

A plant propagation system, process and method are provided for promoting the growth of plant tissue into propagules using a photoautotrophic gel system. The plant propagation system includes a sterile growth vessel that has a vented lid to permit passive diffusion of gases. The process is initiated with one or more sterile rooted explants, which are then cultured in a large container with a vented lid photoautotrophically, which simulates ex-vitro growth conditions. These nodal explants can then be rooted onto photoautotrophic rooting agar gel in vented lid containers and subsequently transferred onto a substrate of choice for mature growth ex-vitro.

An aeroponic plant-growth system includes growth space and a control unit that may be assembled using factory made modules. The growth space includes layers at different heights, and each layer includes plant holders and misters positioned to apply a mist to roots of plants in the plant holders. The control unit employs a controller to execute a program that operates a liquid supply system to provide liquid flows to the misters in the layers. Each of the liquid flows may be regulated according to the height of the layers.

A modular commercial plant cloning system and method for stimulating root growth from a plant stem. The system includes a supporting frame, a light source, a fluid reservoir, and a cooling element. The supporting frame further includes a plurality of mounting points for securing a plant holding device tray at a desired height and spacing within the supporting frame below the light source. The plant holding device tray houses a plurality of plant holding devices that the plant stems are placed in during the cloning process. The lower end of the supporting frame includes the fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid reservoir further includes a cooling element therein. Additionally, the fluid delivery system helps transport fluid from the fluid reservoir to the sprayer nozzles which are configured to distribute fluid across the plant stems disposed within the plant holding device tray.

The application provides a method for improving nutrient supply of female floral branches of Populus deltoides artificial hybridization. According to the technical links of the hybridization operation, the method separately integrates and improves the cultivation of female floral branch nutrient-supply seedlings (i.e., grafting rootstocks of floral branches), the pre-management of female floral branch nutrient-supply seedlings, the hydroponic management of floral branches, the Marching between female floral branches and rootstocks, the management of female floral branch nutrient-supply seedlings and the hydroponic management of female floral branches, so the goal of improving the seed-setting rate and quality of poplar hybrid seeds which came from the floral branches cultured in water has been achieved. Compared with the conventional method, the method of the invention not only can realize good seed quality, but also improve the seed-setting rate, and has a remarkable effect when applied to Populus deltoides artificial hybridization.

A method for disinfecting explants of Kadsura coccinea stems with buds and a method for directly inducing rapid proliferation of sterile buds by using the explants of Kadsura coccinea stems with buds involve processes such as selection, treatment and disinfection of explants, primary culture, subculture proliferation culture. The problem of difficulty in tissue culture and primary culture of Kadsura coccinea stems is solved, and the advantages include low contamination rate of explants, high propagation rate and robust proliferation of axillary buds. This allows obtaining sterile axillary buds of Kadsura coccinea through tissue culture, and provides support for tissue culture, rapid propagation and factory seedling of Kadsura coccinea in the future.