Radiofrequency Identification Tagging in Ornamental Shrubs: An Application in Rose

Abstract

<jats:p>Plant tagging using radiofrequency identification (RFID) microchips is attractive for ornamental shrubs, such as rose (<jats:italic>Rosa</jats:italic> spp.), due to their high market value, wide distribution, health certification system, and numerous uses. Differently from other woody species for which methods of microchip implantation have been tested, rose tagging requires the possibility of insertion within canes of less than 10 mm diameter, such as those typically found in the rose nursery setting. Moreover, the possibility of tagging after grafting without changing common plant production procedures and aesthetic value are important considerations. Toward this aim, a new method of microchip insertion was developed. To test its effects on roses, two cultivars were subjected to a tagging procedure, and histological observations of tissues around the microchip and growth analysis of plant canes were performed. Microchip implantation did not cause xylem necrosis in 8- to 9-mm-diameter canes, but in lower diameter canes wilt of the lateral shoot and detriments in growth were observed compared with control plants. The tagged roses were tracked by a database developed for rose information, field log, and botanical sheet retrieval. Our findings suggest that rose plants can be safely tagged with a RFID microchip following suitable selection of cane calliper as early as the nursery phase without negative effects on plant appearance.</jats:p>

Biosecurity of kiwifruit plants: effects of internal microchip implants on vines for monitoring plant health status

“…This result confirms trials in rose (Luvisi et al 2010b), underlining the fact that the calibre of the organ in which the microchip is implanted must be considered critical. Conversely, a larger trunk diameter seems to sustain microchip implementation, even if tissue damage is reported.…”

“…However, for small calibre plants, implantation is not risk-free for plant health, as reported for roses (Luvisi et al 2010b), where wilting or detrimental growth can occur. Keeping in mind the production practices of kiwifruit, tagging techniques and tag positions need to be tested to guarantee plant survival and the readability of tags through wood.…”

Device-supported spread of experimental results in a rose trial garden

“…However, several aspects have to be verified, such as the compatibility of the RFID tags and the different types of mobile devices, the disturbance action of water/humidity on RF signal transmission and the password administration. The use of labels as support for tags is a practical and economic solution, avoiding the tissue damages linked to the direct microchip implantation in the plant stem, as found in roses at nursery level (Luvisi et al, 2010). Moreover, the support allows the use of bigger passive tags, able to hold much more complete and complex information and to develop the system to an integrated, interactive and continuously improvable system.…”

“…Moreover, the damages to vascular tissues of plant by internal RFID microchip implants for supporting traceability and property rights were evaluated for several important species to the nursery industry, such as citrus (Bowman, 2005;Porto et al, 2011), rose (Luvisi et al, 2010), ornamental Prunus cultivars (Luvisi et al, 2011a) and olive trees (Luvisi et al, 2012b).…”

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“…Radiofrequency identification could help to reduce the spread of plant pathogens. RFID has been inserted in many plants for different purposes like in Cactus to avoid theft [23], Citrus tree for monitoring disease and breeding [24], Cypress for disease monitoring [25] and grapevine for traceability and clonal selection [26] and in roses for digital urban garden management [27].…”