Abstract: A system and method for hypobaric (low pressure or “LP”) storage of plant matter is disclosed. The method is characterized by controlling the correlated conditions of total pressure, oxygen partial pressure, air intake rate, and pumping speed and additionally controlling the pressure with a vacuum regulator operating at a higher temperature than the storage space; storing plant matter in storage boxes which are unable to adsorb water and release the heat of water condensation; shielding the storage boxes from radiation emitted by the storage space's wall; shielding plant matter in the storage boxes from radiation emitted by the box's inner surface; and decreasing the total storage space pressure and steady-state oxygen partial pressure to a minimum value which does not cause low oxygen injury and is optimally effective in extending storage life, reducing metabolic heat and biochemical energy production, and preventing microbial decay in the plant matter.

Abstract: A hypobaric apparatus and methods capable of inducing and maintaining in stored horticultural cellular tissue controlled pervaporation of undesired chemical compounds without reaching the boiling point of intracellular water molecules, comprising a hypobaric chamber constructed to provide a leak rate of less than 4.0 mm Hg per hour, sensors and regulators coupled to the chamber and to a controller to measure and regulate target correlates. Commodities processed, including processing storage periods longer than any known involving controlled atmosphere, exhibit an absence of low oxygen injury, high carbon dioxide injury, chilling injury, leaf abscission, leaf de-greening, fungal decay, bacterial decay, gravitational curving, geotropic curvatures, leaf epinasty, stem epinasty, flower fading, senescence, live invertebrates at any life stage, fumigant chemical compounds, volatile fungicides, volatile bactericides; no advance in ripening; minimal water loss.

Abstract: A hypobaric apparatus and methods capable of inducing and maintaining in stored horticultural cellular tissue controlled pervaporation of undesired chemical compounds without reaching the boiling point of intracellular water molecules, comprising a hypobaric chamber constructed to provide a leak rate of less than 4.0 mm Hg per hour, sensors and regulators coupled to the chamber and to a controller to measure and regulate target correlates. Commodities processed, including processing storage periods longer than any known involving controlled atmosphere, exhibit an absence of low oxygen injury, high carbon dioxide injury, chilling injury, leaf abscission, leaf de-greening, fungal decay, bacterial decay, gravitational curving, geotropic curvatures, leaf epinasty, stem epinasty, flower fading, senescence, live invertebrates at any life stage, fumigant chemical compounds, volatile fungicides, volatile bactericides; no advance in ripening; minimal water loss.

Abstract: The hypobaric preservation of respiring plant matter without the step of humidifying the storage atmosphere by contacting it with a supplementary body of heated water is hereby disclosed, characterized by storage at controlled and correlated conditions of temperature, subatmospheric pressure, evacuation rate, air recirculation rate and air intake rate, and by the dependence of each set of correlated conditions upon the weight, respiration rate and type of plant matter. Expanded relatively dry atmospheric air is passed into and humid rarified air is withdrawn from the storage chamber at rates which maintain an optimal steady-state oxygen partial pressure for each type of respiring, oxygen-consuming plant matter, and a nearly saturated relative humidity sufficient to keep the temperature of the respiring, heat producing plant matter equal to or slightly higher than the temperature of the chamber walls and rarified air.

Abstract: The hypobaric preservation of non-respiring animal matter without the step of adding fresh air to the storage chamber, and without humidifying the storage atmosphere by contacting it with a supplementary body of heated water, is hereby disclosed, characterized by storage at a controlled temperature correlated to the type of animal matter, by a hypobaric pressure slightly less than the vapor pressure of water at said storage temperature, and by evacuation at a controlled rate correlated to the storage temperature and the weight of stored animal matter. The evacuation rate preferably is set to pump nearly saturated steam from the vacuum tank at a rate which exhausts an amount of water equal to about 1% of the initial weight of the animal matter each month.

Abstract: The preservation of metabolically active matter such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fowl, shrimp, fish, other food, cut flowers, cuttings, foliage plants and the like is disclosed, characterized by storage at controlled and correlated conditions of hypobaric pressure, temperature, humidity, air circulation and air exchange. A non-deleterious gas such as air is humidified by contacting it with heated water from a supply, and then the humid air is passed through, and when advisable, recirculated and/or rehumidified within a storage chamber containing the metabolically active matter. The relative humidity is maintained within the range of about 80 to 100 percent and the pressure is maintained continuously or intermittently at a selected value at least slightly higher than the vapor pressure of the water in the stored commodity.

Abstract: The preservation of metabolically active matter such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fowl, shrimp, fish, other food, cut flowers, cuttings, foliage plants and the like is disclosed, characterized by storage at controlled and correlated conditions of hypobaric pressure, temperature, humidity, air circulation and air exchange. A non-deleterious gas such as air is humidified by contacting it with heated water from a supply, and then the humid air is passed through, and when advisable, recirculated and/or rehumidified within a storage chamber containing the metabolically active matter. The relative humidity is maintained within the range of about 80 to 100% and the pressure is maintained continuously or intermittently at a selected value at least slightly higher than the vapor pressure of the water in the stored commodity.

Abstract: 1. The method of preserving mature, but less than fully ripe, fruit .Iadd.which produces ethylene and is ripened thereby, .Iaddend.comprising enhancing the rate of diffusion of ethylene from the fruit by storing the fruit at a subatmospheric pressure in the range of 100-400 mm. Hg-.Iadd.absolute .Iaddend.in a continuously moving stream of water saturated air having a normal 21% O.sub.2 content, said stream continuously flushing ethylene, as it is diffused, away from the vicinity of the fruit.