Advances and Current Limitations of Plug Transplant Technology in Korea

Abstract

Plug transplant technology was developed for efficient production of quality transplants using greenhouses. The technology, first introduced in Korea in 1992, has been established as an important industry. The technology was first adapted with the desire and emphasis on mass production of high quality seedlings of vegetable crops, but recently is rapidly widening to flower and other crops. However, some limitations of the technology are noticed, especially in terms of softwares. Regardless of large capital investment for construction of greenhouse systems with the intention for precise environment control, quality of transplants is hard to be precisely controlled for grower’s satisfaction. Excessive stem stretch, uneven growth and development, and unpredictable performance of plants after transplanting are some of the problems, which are hard to correct despite of producers effort. A major factor, which causes undesirable transplant quality, is culture environment, which can not be precisely controlled in reality due to severe climatic conditions, such as extreme temperatures. Considering potential demands of transplants in Korea currently being estimated to be several billions, further refinement of the technology is needed.