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NEWS RELEASE DATE:
10-16-98 CONTACT:
Jeff Adelberg, (864) 656-3011 WRITER:
Debbie Dalhouse, (864) 656-0937 CLEMSON UNIVERSITY DEVELOPS REVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM CLEMSON —
An entire greenhouse full of plants can be shipped around the world in
minimal packaging without spreading pests through a revolutionary technology
developed by Clemson University researchers. The unique process is an
application of micropropagation and was created by Clemson plant scientist
Jeffrey W. Adelberg and engineer Roy E. Young. The
system, patented as Acclimatron™, is a sealed device containing finger-sized
transplants, called CU-Starts™, that are free of diseases, pests and pesticides
and are strong enough to be planted directly into the field or into containers
for growing to saleable size. “Tissue
culture transplants have undeveloped root systems so they have to be placed
in a greenhouse to grow roots and harden before they can be moved outside,”
said Adelberg. “This is very labor intensive and costly. But CU-Starts™
have a strong root system even though the plants themselves are very small.
This means growers can achieve record propagation rates with minimal labor
and space requirements.” The
trays, transplants and computerized greenhouse system are being produced
and marketed by a new company, called Southern Sun. “Clemson’s
research has proven that we can grow plants better than the market has
today and at a lower cost,” said Chas Fox, president of Southern Sun.
“This is leading edge technology that makes it possible to mass-produce
a wide range of plants, from ornamentals to endangered species.” The
research that developed this technology was made possible by the South
Carolina Agriculture and Forestry Research System based at Clemson. “This
research will improve the quality of life for both consumers and producers
as growers are able to provide more varieties and larger quantities of
top-quality plants,” said James R. Fischer, director of the Agriculture
and Forestry Research System.
The
new process begins with an automated system of producing micro-cuttings,
or buds, during tissue culture propagation. These tiny cuttings are placed
into the Acclimatron™ trays. Each compartment of the trays includes a
paper growing medium that supports the root system and is free of disease
or pest risks. The
Acclimatron™ trays are placed in a hydroponic growing system in which
plant nutrients are delivered through circulating water. The trays eliminate
the possibility of contamination by diseases, producing high quality,
healthy plants that command premium prices. The system also allows water
and nutrients to be recycled and eliminates the need for pesticides, making
the process environmentally sensitive and cost effective. A
computer controls the temperature of the circulating water, allowing the
cuttings to be grown in full sun instead of the traditional shaded greenhouse.
This provides the acclimatizing, or hardening, that the transplants need
to survive when placed outside for growing to saleable size.
The
process is still undergoing refinements before reaching full commercial-ization,
but it is already being enthusiastically received by growers who are buying
the transplants as “raw material” to grow into saleable plants or acquiring
a license agreement for the entire system to produce transplants for sale
to other growers. END |
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