All markets have their first movers, the early adopters. In the forest industry and propagation of cuttings, we’ve entered a partnership with one of them.
In late 2022 and early 2023, a global forest company with a base in Chile will start treating Eucalyptus cuttings with the OptiBoost® technology.
The unique and patented OptiBoost technology is based on vacuum impregnation or infusion and designed for treating cut flowers or in this case, cuttings.
The company is one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies and employs 17 000 people. Activities include forestry, pulp, paper, and paper products.
The new OptiBoost® application SAGA is optimized for the treatment of cuttings. The application has shown many positive effects, including improved survival in planting.
Below, we explore the technology a bit more and the impact on the forest industry and the propagation of cuttings.
The positive impact of cuttings by the OptiBoost technology
Growing trees from seeds is often precarious. Cuttings on the other hand provide many advantages for growers, and many have the ambition to transition more to cultivation through cuttings.
With good reason, the advantages are many. With cuttings, a faster start to cultivation can be achieved, as in fact, it is already a small plant. Compared to seeds, cuttings, thus, have a shorter growth period, which generally means that you can harvest faster. The problem then is the survival rate. The OptiBoost® for cuttings technology increases the survival rate of unrooted cuttings.
Average survival/loss for control plants.
Average yield increase
Average survival/loss for plants treated with OptiBoost. Planted in the same environment as the control plants.
The technology is based on vacuum impregnation. Pressure change causes the evacuation of air from the leaf air spaces. Pressure is gradually modified to allow a nano-based nutrient solution to enter the specific fraction of the tissue. Pressure parameters are meticulously designed and controlled to achieve impregnation. In the second phase, pressure is gradually modified to allow the nano-based nutrient solution to enter the specific fraction of the tissue. The cuttings are boosted with nutrients, making them more robust and significantly increasing the survival rate of the cuttings.
The unit is not overwhelming when it comes to size. SAGA, named after the Norse mythology goddess, measures around 1000 mm x 500 mm and weighs about 230 kg. A compact unit, even so, with a high capacity that can treat up to 35 000 cuttings in an hour. One single treatment takes only 30 seconds.
The treatment of cuttings has a majority of positive effects, including strengthening the growth, robustness, and root system of cuttings, which improves the survival of transplanting and faster growth.
Being a first-mover brings a lot of advantages. Your business receives early access to an advantageous new product and technology. Get in touch now to discover how this could be beneficial to your company.
OptiCept Celebrates Successful Test Results from Cuttings Pilot Project in Asia. The first partial results for Acacia cuttings treated with the patented vacuum impregnation technology shows great results.
In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into the science behind vacuum infusion in forest cuttings propagation, understanding the principles and mechanisms that make it such an effective method for propagating forest cuttings.
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With the OptiBoost technology, we contribute to an extended, optimized, and more sustainable Cut Flower Experience. We help growers, wholesalers and retailers boost quality, increase sustainability and improve business.
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