Development of a modular micropropagation system for commercial plant propagation

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Micropropagation uses plant tissue culture to rapidly multiply plants in sterile and well-defined conditions.This is used to propagate approximately 1 billion plants per year and forms the basis of clean plant programsaround the world. Canada is currently developing a national clean plant system that will certify plants arevirus/disease free for a variety of crops to limit the spread of pests/disease and facilitate international export.The main factor limiting the use of micropropagation, especially in developed countries, is the high labourrequirements of this technique that make increased efficiency critical to sustain/grow the industry.Despite the widespread use of micropropagation, the basic systems have not changed much since beingdeveloped decades ago and several long-standing problems inherent in the design remain. A novel modularmicropropagation system was recently designed and produced using 3D printing in Dr. Jones' CFI-funded lab.The vessel contains internal channels and abutments that can integrate various inserts/components to regulatethe internal environment to address several common problems with micropropagation. The developed modulesinclude 1) improved lighting with better uniformity/control that allows vessels to be stacked for increasedproduction efficiency, 2) passive regulation of CO2 and humidity levels for optimal plant growth, 3) passiveliquid culture to facilitate practical liquid based micropropagation, 4) a liquid in vitro rooting module to reducelabour and improve plant health, and 5) a micro-rocker system to enable this technology to be used in amodular fashion to enable gradual expansion. Several modules have been prototyped and 2 provisional patentshave been submitted. To date the modules have been produced using 3D printing, but this technique is notsuitable for commercial scale manufacturing. The objectives of this project will be to evaluate the prototypesystem in a commercial setting, use their feedback to refine the modules, and establish commercial scalemanufacturing capacity. This critical step will transition the system from a demonstrated prototype to a viableproduct ready for commercialization.