Transplant Systems square seedling growing trays were developed as the practical outcome of long ranging research in Europe. The TS 256 (16 x 16 cells) and TS 144 (12 x 12 cells) are square in form which facilitates the smooth, automatic movement through all stages of plant nursery and field planting mechanisation. This also ensures they are always in the correct configuration for mechanical movement. The inherent cell form and volume has proven to be ideal for growing most leaf vegetable seedlings. Each cell is square with tapered wall surfaces. The cell top is wider than the bottom which has a large square drainage hole to improve air porosity and allow for air root pruning. The rootball has a square flat bottom to encourage an upright arrival in the opened furrow. Correct row planting relies on the timing of the plant arrival in the furrow and the pinning of the plant by the displaced soil returning to the opened furrow. If timing is slightly out, V shape rootballs have a tendency to lean over if not immediately pinned by the loose soil returning to the furrow, whereas the squat based rootball is more forgiving and is slow to tumble or to get buried.

Future Forests will benefit from container design that focus on root development and control during formative growth in the nursery. After seed germination advancing roots are carefully guided to side openings in the walls of each cell in which the seedling is being raised. Upon arrival root tips and bottom leader roots are air pruned. Once planted the seedlings roots will quickly seek moisture and nutrients in surrounding soils and anchor the seedling supporting its early and advanced growth and the branching canopy. No root curl to slow plantation growth and reduced risk of toppling. Our range of seedling growing trays is endorsed by foresters in Finland Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand.

Silver-coated trays

These trays are coated with silver nano of 99.9% purity. The silver coating on the tray is designed to increase the amount of light, via reflection, that reaches the backside of the leaf thus maximising the photosynthesis within a short period of time from germination to the unfolding of the foliage leaf. The surface temperature on the silver tray is 5-7 degrees lower than with black trays and therefore this will reduce stress on the surrounding root. By lowering the air humidity that surrounds the plant, it should also decrease the possibility of diseases. Silver trays will inhibit pests such as aphids, mites, moths and flies from resting on the back of leaves during the initial stage of rearing of the seedling as well as preventing the formation of bacteria propagated by fungal spores and bacterial strains.

Copper-coated trays

The presence of a copper coating on the plug tray results in the inhibition of cell division at the root apex and produces an inhibitory effect on root elongation at the root/container wall interface. This creates an abundance of higher order laterals and their growth is, in turn, stopped at the container wall, resulting in a root system with many branched roots within the plug. Once these seedlings are transplanted, root tips resume growth, producing a more branched root system, with more roots in the top section, better able to exploit water and nutrient resources and with better seedling stability (Ruehle, 1985; Smith and McCubbin, 1992; Struve et al., 1994).