Seed germination and seedling growth in experimental prototypes and commercially available culturing trays providing different air-access of their open bottoms and different cell depth was observed for Eucalyptus robusta and Pinus densiflora. The experiments aiming at intensive plant growth were conducted in a solar green house with a temperature and humidity of the air automatically controlled. A three factorial experiment with three levels of air-access of the open bottom( 100%, 50% and 0% ) and three levels of cell depth( 130, 70 and 40mm ) for commercial trays and a one factor experiment with two levels of air-access for laboratory fabricated trays(Styroform) were carried out. When the air-access was investigated F and t statistics testing on plant height produced reached significance for both 5% and 1% level for observed period. Difference in the plant height produced were not statistically significant for the employed levels of cell depth. A correlation coefficient decreased with decreasing of the cell depth and air-access of open bottom indicating that the three seedlimg of both spacies grew more rapidly in deeper cell with more air-access of the open bottoms. Laboratory fabricated styroform blocks allowed a root penetration in the block material causing difficulties in the subsequent transplanting.

Keywords: air-pruning, woody plant, transplant, culturing tray