ISHS Acta Horticulturae 272: Symposium on Bedding and Pot Plant Culture
SHIPPING SYSTEMS FOR BEDDING PLANTS |
| Authors: | S. Derthick, D. W. H. Carlson |
| Abstract:
Five new methods of shipping commercially grown bedding plants were developed and are currently being evaluated. The five packaging systems are: 1. a stackable, disposable rack constructed from honeycomb paperboard 2. a column of flats held together by metal corners and stretched plastic 3. rigid, stackable, plastic boxes 4. resin treated corrugated boxes 5. collapsible plastic or metal racks. All of these systems are being subjected to vibration testing, ethylene concentration evaluation, moisture retention capacity, and other measures to maintain plant quality control. All the systems are being modified after testing to withstand the experimental parameters and meet the requirements essential for long distance shipping. The packaging systems have been tested on a vibration table at each resonance point for ten minutes at one half G, all packages are being structurally modified to withstand the vibration testing. The modified honeycomb system and the corrugated box systems are currently being used for shipping plants from Michigan to southern United States markets. | |
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