Work handling

Apparatus suitable for use in conjunction with a container in which one or more plants is growing, the container having a associated with it a device for receiving an enquiry signal and automatically responding by transmitting an unique identifier signal wherein the enquiry and identifier signals are radio signals, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a workstation at which an operation is automatically performed on the plant or plants or on the growing medium in the container.
• (b) means for transporting the container to the workstation, said means comprising a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters each providing support for a row of several containers, the storage transporters being disposed adjacent one another to support rows of containers in a horizontally disposed array and to co-operate with a transfer conveyor located adjacent and transversely to an end portion of each storage tranporter;
• (c) means for transmitting the enquiry signal;
• (d) means for recording the identifier signal as a digital output;
• and
• (e) means for storing the digital output as data in perscribed format in a database for manipulation to afford comparsion of the data related to the container.