There were a lot of comments saying that wood movement is blown out of proportion and you shouldn't worry about it. That's just as loaded of a statement as saying that wood will break if you capture a solid wood panel and don't allow for seasonal expansion and contraction. I'm convinced the reason for the poplar bottom panel to not break on this tray is that it was created with quality lumber, free of defects, lumber that was properly air dried before use and didn't undergo a drastic change in climates such as going from the humid south east USA to the dry south west USA.