Optimization of production process for large scale gain in the micropropagation of plants

• Grant number: 03/13315-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: August 01, 2004
• End date: June 30, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Monique Inês Segeren
• Grantee: Monique Inês Segeren
• Company: Pro-Clone Comércio de Mudas Matrizes - ME

Abstract

In order to have access to the international flower and fruit markets, which turn over around US$ 86 billion in the entire world, it is necessary to pay close attention not only to quality, but also to productivity, which is the other competitive determinant in external markets. In order to do this, it is important to incorporate in the production process all the technologybased knowledge available in the national academic environment.Within the sterilization process, productivity is determined by the speed of filling the pots with medium, by the volume of medium sterilized per cycle, by its cost, by the reliability of the sterilization process, by the amount of man-hours involved, by the training of this manpower and by the quality of the sterilizing machine. Of these, the fundamental factors are the quality of the sterilizing machine and the reliability of the sterilization process (absence of fungi and bacteria in the medium), in addition to the volume of production, in case of large orders. This proposal aims to study the viability of building a medium sterilization machine with plasma in replacement for the autoclaving process. The equipment should use less electrical energy and, due to its automation, use less specialized manpower, sterilizing according to the rate of consumption (just-in-time system) and not in large pre-determined volumes. (AU)