Pest-free

(1) Pest-free (plants) [ Horticulture - Phytoparasitology ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology
index of names

Plants in which a specific pest does not occur, that are maintained free and clean from a parasitic pest by means of prevention, control, eradication, management, and/or suppression.

When storing or cultivating susceptible-plants, be sure they are pest-free (with no live life stage of pests )
Afterwards make a valid detection and survey to avoid re-infestation of specific pest by means of a periodical visual control of plant and plant products.
Some vegetable crop transplants can be infested with insect pests, and growers using these transplants are put at a considerable disadvantage.

Compare: Disease-free

(2) Pest-free & Disease-free (species) [ Horticulture - Phytoparasitology ]
Synonym: Pest-resistant, Pest-hardy

A vegetable, species, populations, varieties or cultivars that is not attacked by a specific pest or that is insensitive to a particular disease.

Actually we have plant which are weak and strong, pest susceptible or nearly pest free, widely adapted or adapted only to very specific conditions. The best way to avoid pest and diseases consist in selecting and growing selected pest-resistant or diseases-resistant varieties (E.g.: planting pest-free rootstock)

(3) Pest-free (Area) [ Horticulture - Phytoparasitology ]

A Pest-free area (Also called bufferzone) is an delimitated area in which a specific pest does not occur or occurs at a low level and in which phytosanitary measures are taken to prevent spread of the pest.

It is Very important to use pest-free and clean plant or transplants before bringing them into a pest free area, check carefully items for the presence of pests or pest eggs (In case presence of pests take adequate phytosanitary measures, like quarantine and provide eradication and/or suppress the infested items).

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994