Patent Application
20160044880
This invention relates to a plant cultivation system, a plant cultivation method using the plant cultivation system and a production method for the plant cultivation system.
A large number of systems for cultivating plants have been reported. For example, furrow irrigation or sprinkler, which enables to automatically supply water or a nutrient solution, drip irrigation system (Patent Literature 1) or Eco-Ag (Patent Literature 2) manufactured by Developmental Technologies, which enables to reduce the amount of supplied water or a nutrient solution; and hydroponic cultivation system (Patent Literature 3) or mist cultivation system (Patent Literature 4) used in plant factories or the like has been known.
However, in the furrow irrigation or sprinkler, water resource is not only wasted but environmental load is also made increasing by soil pollution since large amount of water or a nutrient solution more than required is released to the environment. In the drip irrigation system or Eco-Ag, the consumption of water or a nutrient solution is made reduced compared to furrow irrigation or sprinkler since the amount of supplied water or a nutrient solution can be controlled, but the reduction level is still insufficient. And in addition, a risk to make environmental load such as soil pollution increasing is still remained since water or a nutrient solution is supplied through soils.
On the other hand, in hydroponic cultivation system used in plant factories or the like, the efficient use of water or a nutrient solution is made available by circulation and reuse of water or a nutrient solution, but the supply of air required for growth of plants is insufficient. In mist cultivation system, the supply of water or a nutrient solution is still insufficient. Thus, no cultivation environment suitable for plant growth has been provided yet.
In order to improve the aforementioned cultivation condition, plant cultivation system using ceramics (Patent Literatures 5, 6) was discovered, but the capability to supply water or a nutrient solution required for plant growth is still insufficient in some cases, and this system has not yet provided the plant cultivation environment capable to supply the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want.
Patent Literature 2: U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,431
The challenge to be solved by this invention is to provide a plant cultivation system to efficiently supply the elements to the seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation materials comprising the plant cultivation materials in which seeds and/or nurseries are put and which provide plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the elements necessary for the plant growth, i.e., plant growth elements, as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating plant growth, a cultivation method using the system and a production method for the system.
As a result of intensive studies to solve the aforementioned challenge, the inventors discovered that the plant cultivation system capable to efficiently supply plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials having a liquid retentivity and a liquid transitivity, and comprising a structure capable to provide the environment suitable for plant respiration could accelerate the plant growth since plants could absorb from the materials the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants wanted whenever plants wanted.
This invention to solve the aforementioned challenge is as follows.
(1) A plant cultivation system, to efficiently supply the elements necessary for the plant growth to a seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation material, comprising the plant cultivation materials in which seeds and/or nurseries are put, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth.
(2) A plant cultivation system, to efficiently supply the elements necessary for the plant growth to a seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation material comprising the plant cultivation materials which have a liquid retentiity and a liquid transitivity, in which seeds and/or nurseries are put, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth.
(3) A plant cultivation system, to efficiently supply the elements necessary for the plant growth to a seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation material comprising the plant cultivation materials which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, in which seeds and/or nurseries are put, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth.
(4) A plant cultivation system, to efficiently supply the elements necessary for the plant growth to a seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation material comprising the plant cultivation materials which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, which comprise the layered structures capable to control the root growth, in which seeds and/or nurseries are put, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth.
(5) A plant cultivation system, to efficiently supply the elements necessary for the plant growth to a seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation material comprising the plant cultivation materials which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, which comprise the layered structures capable to control the root growth so that roots can respire sufficient air, in which seeds and/or nurseries are put, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth.
(6) A plant cultivation method using the plant cultivation system according to any one of (1) to (5).
(7) A production method for the plant cultivation system according to any one of (1) to (5).
(8) A plant growth element supply system, to comprise the plant cultivation materials which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth in the materials, and the materials and/or the equipment and/or the facilities to efficiently supply the elements to the plant cultivation materials.
(9) A plant growth element supply system, to comprise the plant cultivation materials which have a liquid retentiity and a liquid transitivity and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth in the materials, and the materials and/or the equipment and/or the facilities to efficiently supply the elements to the plant cultivation materials.
(10) A plant growth element supply system, to comprise the plant cultivation materials, which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth in the materials, and the materials and/or the equipment and/or the facilities to efficiently supply the elements to the plant cultivation materials.
(11) A plant growth element supply system, to comprise the plant cultivation materials, which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, which comprise the layered structures capable to control the root growth, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth, and the materials and/or the equipment and/or the facilities to efficiently supply the elements to the plant cultivation materials.
(12) A plant growth element supply system, to comprise the plant cultivation materials, which are capable to retain the liquid containing at least one of as water, a nutrient solution and agrochemical products, which have the cavities for smooth transitivity of the liquid in the materials, which comprise a layered structures capable to control the root growth so that roots can respire sufficient air, and which provide a plant cultivation environment under which plants can absorb the amount of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want for the purpose of accelerating the plant growth, and the materials and/or the equipment and/or the facility to efficiently supply the elements to the plant cultivation materials.
(13) A plant cultivation method using the plant growth element supply system according to any one of (8) to (12).
(14) A plant growth element supply method using the plant growth element supply system according to any one of (8) to (12).
(15) A production method for the plant growth element supply system according to any one of (8) to (12).
The plant growth is made accelerated, the crop yield and the quality are made higher, and the supply of the elements necessary for the plant growth can be controlled to the minimum required, since plants can absorb the amounts of the elements necessary for the plant growth as much as plants want whenever plants want by utilizing the plant cultivation system, the plant cultivation method using the plant cultivation system and the production method for the plant cultivation system of this invention.
Hereinafter, this invention will be described in detail.
The present invention provides a plant cultivation system to efficiently supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials which have a liquid retentivity and a liquid transitivity and which comprise a structure capable to provide the environment suitable for plant respiration in order to supply the amount of the elements as much as plants want whenever plant want, and provides a plant cultivation method using the plant cultivation system and a production method for the plant cultivation system.
The plant cultivation materials used in this invention are preferably the materials comprising only one of the materials or the materials at any given ratio mixed with two or more of the materials which are synthetic pulps produced from polyolefins such as polyethylenes or polypropylenes, natural pulps or polyesters. Examples of the synthetic pulp may include, but are not particularly limited to, those described in the specification of e.g., JP3913421B and JP2007-077519A or manufactured by the method described in e.g., JP53-1260A.
Hereinafter, the terms used in the embodiments of this invention will be described.
The term “plant(s)” is used herein to mean various plants including, but are not limited to, plants of the Malveceae such as cotton, plants of the Chenopodiaceae such as sugar beet, plants of the Brassicaceae such as rapeseed, cabbage or turnip, plants of the Poaceae such as corn, wheat, rice or sorghum, plants of the Cucurbitaceae such as cucumber and pumpkin, plants of the Asteraceae such as lettuce, safflower or burdock, plants of the Apiaceae such as carrot, celery or coriander, plants of the Euphorbiaceae such as castor bean or cassava, plants of the Solanaceae such as eggplant, tomato or potato, plants of the Rosaceae such as strawberry, apple and cerasus jamasakura, plants of the Fabaceae such as soybean, plants of the Rutaceae such as orange and lemon, plants of the Convolvulaceae such as sweet potato, plants of the Dioscoreaceae such as Chinese yam and yam, plants of the Violaceae such as pansy, plants of the Zingiberaceae such as ginger, plants of the Boraginaceae such as myositis, plants of the Papaveraceae such as corn poppy, plants of the Lauraceae such as camphor laurel, plants of the Mimosaceae such as silk tree, plants of the Lamiaceae such as red shiso, plants of the Caryophyllaceae such as dianthus, and plants of the Ranunculaceae such as nigella (devil-in-a-bush, nigella sativa).
The term “seed(s)” is used herein to mean the disseminules produced by the sexual reproduction of spermatophytes, which contain the embryos that are young plants growing from fertilized eggs, and also used to mean the artificial seeds which are the adventive embryo obtained by tissue cultures and embedded with gelatins, resins or something like those.
The term “nursery” is used herein to mean the seeds and the plant bodies having roots, stems and leaves, or the fragments of the plant bodies lacking one or two of elements such as roots, stems and/or leaves and able to be regenerated to a complete plant bodies by curing.
The term “cultivation” is used herein to mean to artificially grow plants in any stage from the seeding stage to the maturation stage of the plant growth. For example, it is used to mean to artificially grow plants over the entire or in a partial period from the seeding stage to the maturation stage and in each following stage or in the stages by the combination of two or more of the following stages:
(1) From the seeding stage to the maturation stage;
(2) From nurseries to the maturation stage;
(3) From seeds to nurseries;
(4) From the stage when plants are cultivated in the other places through the nurseries before the desired maturation to the desired maturation stage.
(5) From nurseries to the stage before the desired maturation (Plants are cultivated in the other places after the stage before the desired maturation to the desired maturation stage).
The cultivation until the maturation stage includes the maturation stage in which the desired plant bodies or one of parts of the plant bodies such as fruits, flowers, leaves, buds, branches, stems, roots and bulbs of the plant bodies are at least made available to be harvested, or in which seeds or nurseries are made available to be harvested from the plant bodies.
The term “cultivation environment” is used herein to mean the environment suitable for plant growth or accelerating plant growth.
The term “germination” is used herein to mean that leaves, stems and/or roots are growing from the inside or the surface of seeds, bulblets or bulb.
The term “acceleration” is used herein to mean the superior plant growth to those by conventional technologies, for example, faster growing, higher germination rate, higher survival rate, larger amount of plant bodies, higher crop yield, higher quality such as higher sugar content.
The phrase “elements necessary for plant growth” is used herein to mean the elements essential for plant growth such as water, fertilizers and air, and the elements required to control insects and/or diseases harmful to the plant growth such as agrochemical products. But the elements are not limited thereto.
(Absorbing as Much as Plants want Whenever Plants want)
The phrase “absorbing as much as plants want whenever plants want” is used herein to mean that plants absorb the plant growth elements as much as plants want whenever plants want, that is, absorbing the elements depends on the plant themselves, and this means to sufficiently supply the elements to the plants.
The term “liquid retentivity” is used herein to mean the property to retain the liquid containing the plant growth elements in the plant cultivation materials. The preferable retention rate is 30% or more and 95% or less as a liquid content (by weight) in the materials containing the liquid, and the more preferable retention rate is 40% or more and 80% or less.
The term “liquid transitivity” is used herein to mean the property to easily transfer the liquid containing the plant growth elements in the plant cultivation materials. The preferable transfer rate is 0.01 mL/h or more per 1 cm3 of the materials and more preferable transfer rate is 0.1 mL/h or more per 1 cm3 of the materials.
The term “fertilizer(s)” is used herein to mean the nutrients essential for the plant growth, and used to mean the nutrients containing at least one of three fertilizer elements consisting of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potassium, and being liquid forms or the liquid prepared by dissolving solid fertilizers in water (including emulsion-forms and suspension-forms), (which is described as a “Nutrient Solution(s)” hereinafter).
The examples of Nutrient Solutions are, but not limited to, nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, urea or lime nitrogen, phosphate fertilizers such as superphosphate of lime, double or triple superphosphate of lime or fused phosphate, potash fertilizers such as potassium chloride or potassium sulfate, chemical fertilizers such as mono-fertilizers, a chemical fertilizer and mixed fertilizers, calcareous fertilizers such as burnt lime, slaked lime or calcium carbonate fertilizers, silicate fertilizers such as slag silicate fertilizers, manganese fertilizers such as manganese sulfate fertilizers or slag manganese fertilizers, boric acid fertilizers such as borate fertilizers, trace element composite fertilizers such as fused trace element composite fertilizers, or mixed fertilizers which are the mixtures of the aforementioned fertilizers or the mixtures with the following agrochemical products. One, or two or more selected from the aforementioned fertilizers can be used as the ingredient(s) of Nutrient Solutions as desired.
The term “agrochemical product(s)” is used herein to mean the agent required to control insects and/or diseases harmful to plant growth, and used to mean the liquid forms or the liquid prepared by dissolving solid agrochemical products in water (including emulsion-forms and suspension-forms).
The agrochemical products include insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, fungicides, herbicides and plant growth regulators, which types are single formulated products and mixed formulated products. The single formulated products mean the agrochemical products containing a single active ingredient and the mixed formulated products mean the agrochemical products arbitrarily mixed with two or more active ingredients of the following insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, fungicides and herbicides, but are not limited to.
The examples of the active ingredients of insecticides, acaricides or nematicides are, but not limited to, organophosphates such as acephate or fenitrothion, carbamates such as methomyl or benfuracarb, pyrazoles such as fipronil, neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid or dinotefuran, natural products such as milbemectin or spinosad, or the other active ingredients of insecticides, acaricides or nematicides having systemic or water soluble properties such as chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole.
The examples of the active ingredients of fungicides are, but not limited to, carbamates such as thiuram or mancozeb, strobilurins such as azoxystrobin or kresoxim-methyl, azoles such as triflumizole, tebuconazole or simeconazole, natural products such as kasugamycin or streptomycin, or the other active ingredients of fungicides having systemic or water soluble properties.
The examples of the active ingredients of herbicides or plant growth regulators are, but not limited to, phosphates such as glyphosate or glufosinate; sulfonylureas such as thifensulfuron methyl, inorganics such as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, triketones such as sulcotrione or mesotrione, pyrazolates such as pyrazolate or pyrasulfotole, triazolones such as sulfentrazone or amicarbazone, isoxazoles such as isoxachlortole, natural products such as cytokinin and gibberellin, or the other active ingredients of herbicides or plant growth regulators having systemic or water soluble properties. Additionally, the term “systemic property” is used herein to mean the property that the agrochemical products are absorbed from the roots, stems or leaves of the plants and then transferred into the plant bodies.
The term “cavity” in the porous plant cultivation materials is used herein to mean the space through which a liquid containing the plant growth elements is transferred in the plant cultivation materials, whose size is small enough for seeds not to fall down, and which has the liquid transitivity caused by surface tension and capillary action inside of the cavity. In particular, it is preferable that 10 μmφ or less of cavity occupy 50% or more (relative to volume) of the total cavities existing in the materials, and it is more preferable that 10 μmφ or less of cavities occupy 90% or more (relative to volume) of the total cavities existing in the materials.
The phrase “control of the root growth” is used herein to mean the method to allow the plant roots to grow in a state suitable for the plant growth inside or outside of the plant cultivation materials and to create the environment of the roots by which plants can absorb the plant growth elements as much as plants want whenever plant want. This is caused by the layered structure of the materials.
The phrase “layered structure of the plant cultivation materials” is used herein to mean a three-dimensional structure formed by laminating a planar structure on the other planar structure(s) in a layer thickness direction (a direction that intersects to a planar structure consisting of each layer), wherein, the planer structures are formed by continuously or discontinuously intertwining the materials consisting the plant cultivation materials in a two-dimensional manner. The preferable thickness of each layer is 0.01 mm or more and 50 mm or less, and the more preferable thickness is 0.1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The preferable number of layers is two or more (plural layers). The preferable thickness of the materials as a whole is 5,000 m or less, and more preferable thickness is 500 m or less.
According to the plant cultivation method using the plant cultivation system of this invention, plants can be cultivated over any given stages ranging from seeding up to the maturation stage using a plant cultivation materials that can supply to plants the elements necessary for the plant growth. Such any given stages ranging from seeding up to the maturation stage are as defined in the aforesection “Cultivation”.
The shape and size of the plant cultivation materials and the plant cultivation system of this invention are not particularly limited, but can be appropriately selected on the plant growth to keep the plant growth direction and the roots swelling better until the maturation stage of the target plants. For example, the plant cultivation materials can be used in various shapes such as sheet-form, mat-form, cube-form and/or cuboid-form, polygonal-form such as triangle pole-form and column-form, at least to ensure the surface of the plant cultivation materials for seeding and the parts of the materials for the root growth.
The materials to efficiently supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials mean the materials that can sufficiently and promptly supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials, from which the amount of the elements was reduced by absorption by the plants in the growth stage of the cultivated plants up to the maturation stage. The shape and size of the materials and the connection manners between the materials and the plant cultivation materials are not particularly limited.
The materials comprise several members to supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials. These members, for example, include a channel to supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials, a channel to recover the plant growth elements passed though the plant cultivation materials or the residues generated by plant consuming at least a part of the plant growth elements, a channel to circulate the plant growth elements to supply to the plant cultivation materials, a joint part to connect or branch these channels; a switching system to open or close these channels and to switch the flow of the plant growth elements at the branch points, a container or a tank for storage of the plant growth elements, or a filtering system to prevent the insoluble materials such as dusts included in the plant growth elements moving through the channels from flowing into the connection points between the plant cultivation materials and the channels. These channels comprise one or more members such as a furrow member opened with no lid or closed with a lid, or pipes. The joints having various structures can be used to connect or branch the pipes.
The plant growth element supply system and the plant cultivation equipment, for example, comprise such kinds of the materials.
The plant growth element supply system means the system to supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials set on/in the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in. Moreover, the plant growth element supply system, for example, comprise the reservoir for storage of the plant growth elements and the several components to transfer the plant growth elements from the reservoir to the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in via a channel. And moreover, the plant growth elements themselves are recognized as one of the plant growth element supply system.
The plant cultivation equipment means the equipment comprising the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in and to supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials set on/in the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in. The plant cultivation equipment, for example, comprises a channel to supply the plant growth elements to the plant cultivation materials set on/in the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in and a container for storage of the plant growth elements supplied to the plant cultivation materials through the channel. For transferring the plant growth elements in the channel, gravity transfer generated by height difference or pressurized transfer generated by transfer-pressure generators such as a pump can be used.
The plant cultivation equipment, for example, means the equipment to transfer the plant growth elements through the aforementioned channel, the equipment to supply the plant growth elements to the connection points of the plant cultivation materials set on/in the members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in and the equipment to transfer the plant growth elements from the aforementioned connection points or to transfer the residues generated by plant consuming at least a part of the plant growth elements from the aforementioned connection points. In case the plant growth elements are liquid, several kinds of supply pumps for a liquid transfer can be used in combination with channel members such as pipes, as the members of the aforementioned equipment.
The members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in have the plant growth element supply portions from which the plant growth elements are supplied to the plant cultivation materials by contact of the plant growth elements in the channel with the plant cultivation materials. In case a pipe is used as the aforementioned channel, the contact surface between the pipe and the plant cultivation materials is the outer surface of the pipe, and by one or more path-through slots from inside of the pipe to the surface of the pipe being prepared on this contact surface, the supply hole from which the plant growth elements are supplied to the plant cultivation materials set on the pipe can be prepared as the plant growth element supply portions.
The members for the plant cultivation materials to be set on/in can have a structure making the plant cultivation materials to which cultivated plants are attached replaceable to new one. Otherwise, the members can have a structure replaceable with the plant cultivation materials to which cultivated plants are attached to new members on/in which new materials of the plant cultivation materials were set.
The plant cultivation system, for example, comprises the aforementioned plant cultivation equipment, the seed-nursery integrated plant cultivation materials prepared by at least one kind of seed or nursery of the plants to be cultivated on the plant cultivation materials being included in or attached to the plant cultivation materials to be integrated, and the plant growth elements.
Hereinafter, the overview of the materials, equipment and system for plant cultivation according to this invention, and the plant cultivation method using these materials, equipment and system will be described with reference to the drawings in a case the plant growth elements comprise a plant growth liquid containing at least water. Furthermore, the plant growth liquid contains at least one of water, nutrient solution or agrochemical products.
For example, as schematically shown in
As shown in
Additionally, the plural Members 6a can be tandemly arranged on/in a Tubing 5. Also, the plural of Tubing 5 having one or more the members 6a for the Material(s) 7 to be set on can be arranged in parallel. Moreover, when Plant 8 is harvested at the cultivation site or the system is removed from the site, various removal methods can be employed depending upon the purpose, as described above, such as the method to remove Material 7 attached with Plant 8, the method to wholly remove the Member 6a on which the Material 7 attached with Plant 8 or the method to wholly remove the Tubing 5 and the Material 7.
The valve 4 is not particularly limited as long as it has an open and shut function. The materials of the Tubing 5 are not particularly limited as long as Liquid Supply Holes 6 can be formed, for example, include polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, resins such as polyvinyl chloride, metallic materials such as stainless steel, burned materials such as glass or ceramics, mortar, concrete, rubber or composite materials of these. Alternatively, the porous tubing having ready-made holes can be used. The diameter of the tubing 5, but is not particularly limited, is preferably 0.01 mmφ to 1,000 mmφ and more preferably 0.1 mmφ to 100 mmφ. The length of the tubing 5, but is not particularly limited, is preferably 5 cm to 5,000 m, and more preferably 50 cm to 500 m. Although the shape and diameter of the liquid supply hole 6 are not particularly limited, the diameter of the hole is preferably 99% or less of the inner diameter of the Tubing 5 and more preferably 90% or less. A filter to filtrate the materials insoluble in the liquid can be set in Tubing 5 or on Liquid Supply Hole 6. The seeding surface of the Plant Cultivation Materials 7 can have a patterned indented structure such as a ridge, or dents or holes for seeding. The dents or holes for seeding or transplanting can be covered with a water-soluble or a biodegradable film sheet after seeds or nurseries are put in the dents or holes so as not to drop the seeds or the nurseries therefrom.
As shown in
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As shown in
The relationship between the layer thickness direction in the layered structure of the plant cultivation materials and the plant growth direction is not limited to those shown in
The places for plant cultivation using the plant cultivation system of this invention can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose of plant cultivation, for example, in natural environments such as in open-field culture, cultivation chambers, houses or cultivation facilities in which the cultivation conditions such as temperature and/or humidity can be controlled.
This invention will be specifically described by the following working examples. But these examples are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which was 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×100 mm×65 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of water poured into a cultivation case to allow water to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 1.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which was 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×100 mm×65 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 3.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which was 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 300 mm×360 mm×100 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 4) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. Grape tomato seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps in order to observe the growth of grape tomato under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day, and to measure the sugar content of fruitive grape tomato pulp by a hand-held refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd. The results of the growth and the sugar content are shown in Table 5.
Leaf lettuce, rapeseed, myosotis, corn poppy, prunus sargentii, camphor laurel, silk tree, nigella (Nigella damascena), coriander, soybean and red perilla were seeded in the same manner as in Example 2 in order to observe each growth. The results of each of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption during are shown in Tables 6 to 16.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached with each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 65 mm×65 mm×95 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. Dianthus seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps in order to observe the growth of dianthus under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 17.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 500 mm×340 mm×150 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. A hole with a sufficient size to put a seed in was formed in the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, and a corn seed was put in the hole in order to observe the growth until corn bearing the fruits at 25° C. under 350 W high-pressure sodium lamp for 12 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 19.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 260 mm×110 mm×150 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. A hole with a sufficient size to put seeds in was formed in the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, and paddy rice seeds (Nihon-bare) were put in the hole in order to observe the growth until paddy rice maturing at 25° C. under 350 W high-pressure sodium lamp for 12 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 20.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 500 mm×340 mm×150 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. A hole with a sufficient size to put a seed in was formed in the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, and a sorghum seed was put in the hole in order to observe the growth until sorghum bearing the fruits at 25° C. under 350 W high-pressure sodium lamp for 12 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 21.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were prepared as a cuboid with a size of 400 mm×200 mm×5 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower parts of the synthetic pulps. Kentucky bluegrass seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps in order to observe the growth. The result of the growth is shown in Table 22.
Synthetic papers produced by mixing natural pulps with synthetic pulps were pressed into the sheet form which is 0.15 mm thick and stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×100 mm×65 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic papers from the lower parts of the synthetic papers. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic papers in order to observe the growth of wheat under the conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 23.
Natural pulp papers produced by natural pulps were pressed into the sheet form which is 0.15 mm thick and stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×100 mm×65 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the natural pulp papers from the lower parts of the natural pulp papers. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic papers in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 24.
Polyester papers produced by mixing polyesters with natural pulps were pressed into the sheet form which is 0.3 mm thick and stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×100 mm×65 mm (in height). The cuboid was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the polyester papers from the lower parts of the polyester papers. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the polyester papers in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 25.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. Wheat seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) was added into the polyethylene tubing, and the amount of the nutrient solution same as that consumed by wheat growing was in appropriate timing replenished into the tubing in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 26.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. One of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2), and prunus sargentii seeds were put on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps. The synthetic pulps were covered with river sands in a thickness of about 2 cm, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the tank in order to observe the growth of prunus sargentii under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 27.
Leaf lettuce, celery, nigella, corn poppy and myosotis were seeded in the same manner as in Example 24 in order to observe each of the growth. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Tables 28 to 32.
Liquid Supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. One of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2), two holes which is 2 mmφ in a diameter and 10 mm deep were formed in the surface of the synthetic pulps, and wheat seeds were put in the holes. The synthetic pulps were covered with river sands in a thickness of about 2 cm, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the tank in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 33.
A triangle pole form of synthetic pulps was prepared by stacking three sheets with a size of 50 mm×700 mm prepared by synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is of 5 mm thick so that each 700 mm long edge was firmly attached each other, a porous tubing, manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd., which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 21 mmφ in an outer diameter, was inserted into the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that each sheet form synthetic pulp was firmly attached with the porous tubing. One of the ends of the porous tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution to the porous tubing, and the other end of the tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. Wheat seeds were put on in the top of the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 2 cm in order to observe the growth of wheat under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 10 to 25° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% and under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The result of the growth is shown in Table 34.
Burdock, carrot and turnip were seeded in the same manner as in Example 31 in order to observe each of the growth. The result of each of the growth is shown in Tables 35 to 37.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 250 mm×500 mm×50 mm (in height). A commercially available polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 14 mmφ in an inner diameter and 19 mmφ in an outer diameter and on which liquid supply holes are formed was passed through the cuboid in a horizontal direction, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that the synthetic pulps was firmly attached with the holes on the tubing. One of the ends of the tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution to the tubing, and the other end of the tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. A hole to put seeds in was formed on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, and cotton seeds were put in the hole in order to observe the growth of cotton under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 25° C., under illumination of 350 W high-pressure sodium lamp for 12 hours per day. The result of the growth is shown in Table 38.
Rapeseed was seeded in the same manner as in Example 35 in order to observe the growth. The result of the growth is shown in Table 39.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cuboid with a size of 80 mm×700 mm×50 mm (in height). A porous tubing manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd. which is 14 mmφ in an inner diameter and 21 mmφ in an outer diameter was passed through the cuboid in a horizontal direction, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that the synthetic pulps was firmly attached with the tubing. One of the ends of the tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution the tubing, and the other end of the tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. A hole to put a seed in was formed on the upper surface of the synthetic pulps, a corn seed was put in the hole, and the synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 3 cm in order to observe the growth of corn under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 10 to 45° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% and under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The result of the growth is shown in Table 40.
Sorghum was seeded in the same manner as in Example 37 in order to observe the growth. The result of growth is shown in Table 41.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare two cuboids with a size of 80 mm×700 mm×15 mm (in height). A porous tubing manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd. which is 14 mmφ in an inner diameter and 21 mmφ in an outer diameter was sandwiched by the aforementioned two cuboids of synthetic pulps and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that the synthetic pulps were firmed attached with the tubing. One of the ends of the tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution to the tubing, and the other end of the tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. A part of 150 mm from a cleavage point of a nursery of sweet potato which is 300 mm long was transplanted between the synthetic pulp layers of the upper part of the synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 3 cm in order to observe the growth of sweet potato under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 10 to 45° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% and under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The result of growth is shown in Table 42.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 28 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, wheat seeds were put on the surface of the synthetic pulps. The liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Table 43.
Corn and soybean were seeded in the same manner as in Example 40 to observe each of the growth. The results of the growth, nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Tables 44 and 45.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) were formed in the surface of the synthetic pulps, and wheat seeds were put in the hole. The liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Table 46.
Corn, soybean, cabbage and grape tomato were seeded in the same manner as in Example 43 to observe each of the growth. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Tables 47 to 50.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 50 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 50 mm wide, and fixed on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) were formed in the surface of the synthetic pulps and wheat seeds were put in the hole. The liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Table 51.
Corn was seeded in the same manner as in Example 48 in order to observe the growth. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 52.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tube) and 100 mm wide on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) were formed in the surface of the synthetic pulps and wheat seeds were put in the hole. After a film of polyvinyl alcohol (50 mm wide) for Holceron manufactured by Nippon Plant Seeder Co., Ltd. was bolted on the outer periphery of the cylindrical synthetic pulps so as to cover the holes in which the seeds were put, the liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Table 53.
Corn was seeded in the same manner as in Example 50 in order to observe the growth. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 54.
Liquid supply holes were formed in a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 5 mm thick were bolted on the tubing so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat. The aforementioned bolting the synthetic pulps and heat sealing were repeated three times so that synthetic pulps were firmly attached each other to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 48 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with the nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) was formed in the surface of the synthetic pulps and the strawberry nursery was transplanted in the hole. The liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of strawberry at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 55.
A suspension of synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the surface of a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter and has liquid supply holes on the tubing in order to prepare a cylindrical synthetic pulp which is 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via a connection valve and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was closed, a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) was formed on the surface of the synthetic pulps, and wheat seeds were put in the hole. The liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the polyethylene tubing was buried so that the synthetic pulps was played at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the nutrient solution was supplied from the liquid supply tank to the polyethylene tubing by opening the connection valve. The nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished into the liquid supply tank in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and the yield are shown in Table 56.
A triangle pole form of synthetic pulps was prepared by stacking three sheets with a size of 50 mm×700 mm prepared from synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick so that each 700 mm long edge was firmly attached each other, a porous tubing, manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd., which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter, 21 mmφ in an outer diameter and 1 m long was inserted into the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that each sheet form of synthetic pulps was firmly attached with the porous tubing to prepare a triangle pole form of plant cultivation kit. Moreover, a cuboid with a size of 250 mm×500 mm×50 mm (in height) was prepared by stacking the aforementioned sheet form of synthetic pulps so as to be firmly attached each other, the aforementioned porous tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter, 21 mmφ in an outer diameter and 1 m long was in horizontal passed through the cuboid, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that the synthetic pulps were firmly attached with the porous tubing to prepare a square form of plant cultivation kit. Furthermore, two cuboids with each size of 80 mm×700 mm×15 mm (in height) was prepared by stacking the aforementioned sheet form of synthetic pulps so as to be firmly attached, the aforementioned porous tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter, 21 mmφ in an outer diameter and 1 m long was sandwiched with the two cuboids of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps are fixed with the porous tubing by insulation lock bands so that the synthetic pulps were firmly attached with the porous tubing to prepare a sandwich type of plant cultivation kit.
After 8 m of commercially available polyvinyl chloride tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve, 14 triangle pole plant cultivation kits were sequentially connected in a part of 8 to 24 m from the liquid supply tank, 19 square form of plant cultivation kits were then sequentially connected in a part of 25 to 45 m from the liquid supply tank, and a single sandwich type of plant cultivation kit was finally connected in a part of 46 to 47 m from the liquid supply tank. 8 burdock seeds were put on the top of one of the 14 triangle pole of plant cultivation kits, 10 carrot seeds were put on the top of one of the 14 triangle pole of plant cultivation kits, and 6 turnip seeds were put on each of the top of 12 of the 14 triangle pole of plant cultivation kits. 15 wheat seeds were put on each of the top of 17 of the 19 square form of plant cultivation kits and 4 corn seeds were put on each of the top of 2 of the 19 square form of plant cultivation kits after a hole with a size so as to receive the seeds were formed on each of the upper surface of the kits. A part of 150 mm from a cleavage point of a nursery of sweet potato which is 300 mm long was transplanted between the synthetic pulp layers of the upper part of the synthetic pulps.
The other end of the porous tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not to be transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. All of the aforementioned synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 3 cm in order to observe each of the growth at 10 to 45° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% and under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The results of each of the growth is shown in Table 57.
The plants that can be cultivated in the same manner as in Examples 1, 2, 16, 23, 24, 30, 31, 35, 37, 39, 40, 43, 48, 50, 52, 53 and 54 are shown in Table 58; but not limited to these.
Gossypium
Hibiscus
H. cannabinus
Abelmoschus
A. esculentus
Spinacia
S. oleracea
Beta
B. vulgaris
Gardenia
G. jasminoides
Coffea
Brassica
B. napus
B. oleracea
rapa
R. sativus
Raphanus
B. juncea
Crocus
Zea
Z. mays
Oryza
O. sativa
Sorghum
S. bicolor
Triticum
Hordeum
H. vulgare
Zoysia
Eleutherococcus
Schefflera
S. arbolicola
Panax
P. ginseng
Cucumis
C. melo
C. sativus
Cucurbita
Toxicodendron
T. vernicifluum
Mangifera
M. indica
Diospiros
D. kaki
Averrhoa
A. carambola
Lactuca
L. sativa
Chrysanthemum
C. morifolium
Glebionis
G. coronarium
Carthamus
C. tinctorius
Helianthus
H. annuus
Zinnia
Catharanthus
C. roseus
Nigella
Aconitum
Coptis
C. japonica
Cinnamomum
C. camphora
C. zeylanicum
Ficus
F. carica
F. elastica
Papaver
P. somniferum
P. rhoeas
Strelitzia
Piper
P. nigrum
Amorphophallus
A. konjac
Colocasia
C. esculenta
Perilla
P. frutescens
Ocimum
O. basilicum
Zingiber
Z. officinale
Curcuma
C. longa
Bupleurum
B. stenophyllum
Apium
A. graveolens
Daucus
D. carota
Coriandrum
C. sativum
Azadirachta
A. indica
Fagopyrum
F. esculentum
Rheum
Vaccinium
Cyanococcus
Pieris
P. japonica
Passiflora
edulis
Ricinus
R. communis
Manihot
M. esculenta
Hevea
H. brasiliensis
Eucommia
E. ulmoides
Solanum
melongena
S. tuberosum
S. lycopersicum
Nicotiana
N. tabacum
Datura
D. metel
Dianthus
D. caryophyllus
D. supperbus
Allium
A. cepa
Albizia
A. julibrissin
Acacia
Musa
Amygdalus
A. persica
Fragaria
Malus
M. pumila
Pyrus
P. communis
P. pyrifolia
Prunus
P. mume
P. dulcis
Ananas
A. comosus
Carica
P. papaya
Allium
A. cepa
Allium
A. sativum
Ipomoea
I. batatas
Eucalyptus
Vitis
Quercus
Q. acutissima
Q. suber
Castanea
C. crenata
Paeonia
P. lactiflora
Ephedra
E. sinica
Actinidia
A. chinensis
Pisum
P. sativum
Glycine
G. max
Poncirus
P. trifoliata
Citrus
C. unshiu
C. sinensis
C. limon
Myosotis
M. scorpioides
Nandina
N. domestica
Olea
O. europaea
Jasminum
Phoenix
P. dactylifera
Myosotis
M. scorpioides
Nandina
N. domestica
Olea
O. europaea
Jasminum
Phoenix
P. dactylifera
Salix
Populus
P. nigra
Dioscorea
D. japonica
Hydrangea
H. serrata
Asparagus
Lilium
Liriope
L. muscari
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cube with a size of 100 mm×100 mm×100 mm (in height). The cube was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower part of the synthetic pulps. After a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) was formed on the upper surface of the cube, a broad bean seed was put in the hole (seeded on May 31, 2012). Twenty two days after seeding, when the plant grew up to approximately 200 mm in height, Aphis craccivora was released to the plant, and seven days after the insect release, an aqueous solution of 10 mg of dinotefuran (an insecticide classified in neonicotinoids, manufactured by MITSUI CHEMICALS AGRO, INC.) dissolved in 1,000 mL of the nutrient solution was injected into the synthetic pulps by a syringe. The number of Aphis craccivora surviving in 4 days after injection of the aqueous solution was compared with the number of Aphis craccivora before injection of the aqueous solution in order to check the insecticidal efficacy of dinotefuran against Aphis craccivora. The results are shown in Table 59.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cube with a size of 100 mm×100 mm×100 mm (in height). The cube was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower part of the synthetic pulps. A hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) was formed on the upper surface of the cube, a broad bean seed was put in the hole (seeded on May 31, 2012). Twenty two days after seeding, when the plant grew up to approximately 200 mm in height, Aphis craccivora was released to the plant, and seven days after the insect release, an aqueous solution of 1.5 mg of dinotefuran (an insecticide classified in neonicotinoids, manufactured by MITSUI CHEMICALS AGRO, INC.) dissolved in 500 mL of the nutrient solution was mixed with the nutrient solution remaining in the cultivation case. The number of Aphis craccivora surviving in 4 days after mixing the aqueous solution was compared with the number of Aphis craccivora before mixing the aqueous solution in order to check the insecticidal efficacy of dinotefuran against Aphis craccivora. The results are shown in Table 60.
Soybean was seeded in the same manner as in Example 45 (seeded on Jun. 28, 2012), twenty days after seeding, when the eggs of greenhouse whitefly were observed on the back side of soybean leaves, an aqueous solution of 5 mg of dinotefuran (an insecticide classified in neonicotinoids, manufactured by MITSUI CHEMICALS AGRO, INC.) dissolved in 500 mL of the nutrient solution was mixed with the nutrient solution (500 mL) remaining in the liquid supply tank. The numbers of eggs of greenhouse whitefly in 30 days and 45 days after mixing the aqueous solution were compared with the number of eggs of greenhouse whitefly at the time when the aqueous solution was mixed in order to check the ovicidal efficacy of dinotefuran against the eggs of greenhouse whitefly. The results are shown in Table 61.
Liquid supply holes were formed after an adhesive material was applied on the surface of a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and a suspension of synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the surface of the polyethylene tubing in order to prepare the cylindrical synthetic pulps which are 58 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide on the polyethylene tubing. After one of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2), a hole which is 20 mmφ in a diameter and 10 mm deep was formed on the upper surface of the cylindrical synthetic pulps, and then pansy seeds were put in the hole in order to observe the growth of pansy under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day. The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 62.
A triangle pole form of synthetic pulps was prepared by stacking three sheets with a size of 50 mm×500 mm prepared by synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed in the sheet form which is 5 mm thick so that each 500 mm long edge was firmly attached each other, a porous tubing, manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd., which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 21 mmφ in an outer diameter, was inserted into the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were fixed by insulation lock bands so that each sheet form of the synthetic pulps was firmly attached with the porous tubing. One of the ends of the porous tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution to the porous tubing, and the other end of the porous tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not transferred to the synthetic pulps in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. A seed tuber of Chinese yam was put on the top of the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps, and the synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 2 cm in order to observe the growth of Chinese yam under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 10 to 25° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The result of the growth is shown in Table 63.
Seed tubers of potato, eddo, sweet potato, yam and ginger were put on the triangle pole form of synthetic pulps in the same manner as in Example 59 in order to observe each of the growth. The result of the growth is shown in Tables 64 to 68.
Liquid supply holes were formed on a commercially available polyethylene tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 100 mm wide and 20 mm thick were bolted so as to be firmly attached with the holes, and the joint part was sealed with heat in order to prepare a cylindrical synthetic pulp which is 58 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyethylene tubing) and 100 mm wide on the polyethylene tubing. One of the ends of the polyethylene tubing was connected to the liquid supply tank filled with a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) via an electromagnetic valve in order to sequentially supply the nutrient solution to the polyethylene tubing, and the other end of the polyethylene tubing was connected to a drainage water storage tank in order to temporarily store the nutrient solution not to be transferred to the cylindrical synthetic pulp in the storage tank and then to return to the liquid supply tank for reuse. A hole on the upper surface of the synthetic pulp, a hole which is 20 mmφ in a diameter and 10 mm wide was formed, and turnip seeds were put in the hole. The synthetic pulps were covered with mountain sands in a thickness of 2 cm in order to observe the growth of turnip under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 10 to 25° C., a humidity of 30 to 50% under natural light in a glass greenhouse. The result of the growth is shown in Table 69.
Japanese radish was seeded in the same manner as in Example 65 in order to observe the growth. The result of the growth is shown in Table 70.
A suspension of synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on the polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter in order to prepare two lengths of the polyvinyl chloride tubing having 40 cylindrical synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including outer diameter of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no synthetic pulp fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. A liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) was connected to one of the ends of each tubing, and the other ends of each tubing were respectively connected to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on a liquid supply tank via connection valves.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical synthetic pulp, the liquid supply tank and the liquid supply pump were placed on the surface of soils, and the polyvinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical synthetic pulps were placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid-supply tank and in the polyvinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 71.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid supply tank was prepared by diluting a 10 times concentrated nutrient solution with 10 times volume of water in the liquid supply tank, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished in the same preparation method. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension of synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on a polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and the tubing on which synthetic pulps were fixed was placed in a dryer heated at 140° C. for 5 minutes after naturally dried in order to prepare two lengths of polyvinyl chloride tubing having 40 cylindrical synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no synthetic pulps fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. A liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) was connected to one of the ends of each tubing, and the other ends of each tubing were respectively connected to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on a liquid supply tank via connection valves.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical synthetic pulp and a sheet of PVA film was bolted so as to cover the surface of the cylindrical synthetic pulp. After the liquid supply tank and the liquid supply pump were placed on the surface of soils, the polyvinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical synthetic pulps were placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the polyvinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 72.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid-supply tank was prepared by diluting a 10 times concentrated nutrient solution with 10 times volume of water in the liquid-supply tank, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished in the same preparation method. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension of natural pulps (LBKP (Laubholz Bleached Kraft Pulp) manufactured by TOKAI PULP & PAPER Co., Ltd.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on the polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter in order to prepare the polyvinyl chloride tubing having 40 cylindrical natural pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no natural pulp fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. Each end of the tubing was respectively connected via connection valves to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on the liquid supply tank in which a liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) and a pressure control equipment manufactured by Asahi Enterprise were set.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical natural pulp, the liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, and the polyvinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical natural pulps were placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the vinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min., and the pressure in the polyvinyl chloride tubing was controlled by the pressure control equipment so as to keep the pressure between 0.0 and 9.9 mmH2O.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 73.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid-supply tank was prepared by diluting a 10 times concentrated nutrient solution with 10 times volume of water in the liquid supply tank, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished in the same preparation method. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension of a mixture (mixing ratio of natural pulps/synthetic pulps=90:10) of natural pulps (LBKP (Laubholz Bleached Kraft Pulp) manufactured by TOKAI PULP & PAPER Co., Ltd.) and synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on the polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter, and the tubing on which the mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps was fixed was placed in a dryer heated at 140° C. for 5 minutes after naturally dried in order to prepare two lengths of the polyvinyl chloride tubing having 20 cylindrical mixtures of natural pulps and synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the vinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. A liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) was connected to one of the ends of each tubing, and the other ends of each tubing were respectively connected to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on a liquid supply tank via connection valves.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps, and a sheet of PVA film was bolted so as to cover the surface of the cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps. After the liquid-supply tank and the liquid supply pump were placed on the surface of soils, the vinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the vinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, and the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 74.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid-supply tank was prepared by diluting a 10 times concentrated nutrient solution with 10 times volume of water in the liquid supply tank, and the nutrient solution was in appropriate timing replenished in the same preparation method. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension of a mixture (mixing ratio of natural pulps/synthetic pulps=95:5) of natural pulps (LBKP (Laubholz Bleached Kraft Pulp) manufactured by TOKAI PULP & PAPER Co., Ltd.) and synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on the polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter in order to prepare the polyvinyl chloride tubing having 40 cylindrical mixtures of natural pulps and synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no mixtures of natural pulps and synthetic pulps fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. Each end of the tubing was respectively connected via connection valves to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on the liquid supply tank in which a liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) and a pressure control equipment manufactured by Asahi Enterprise) were set.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps and a sheet of PVA film was bolted so as to cover the surface of the mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps. After the liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, the vinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the polyvinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min., and the pressure in the polyvinyl chloride tubing was controlled by the pressure control equipment so as to keep the pressure between 0.0 and 9.9 mmH2O.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 75.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid supply tank was previously prepared so as to be a practical concentration and then supplied to the liquid supply tank. The nutrient solution prepared so as to be the same concentration in the same preparation method was in appropriate timing replenished. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension solution of a mixture of natural pulp (LBKP (Laubholz Bleached Kraft Pulp) manufactured by TOKAI PULP & PAPER Co., Ltd.) and synthetic pulp (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 40 cm on the polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter in order to prepare the polyvinyl chloride tubing having 40 cylindrical mixtures of natural pulps and synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the vinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. Each end of the tubing was respectively connected via connection valves to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on the liquid supply tank in which a liquid supply pump (Beta 4b, manufactured by Prominent) and a pressure control valve (depressuring valve, manufactured by Tohkemy Corporation) were set.
A corn seed was put in a hole formed with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps, the liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, and the polyvinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical mixture of natural pulps and synthetic pulps was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the vinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min., and the pressure in the polyvinyl chloride tubing was controlled by the pressure control equipment so as to keep the pressure between 0.0 and 9.9 mm H2O.
The growth of corn was observed under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 76.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid supply tank was previously prepared so as to be a practical concentration and then supplied to the liquid supply tank. The nutrient solution prepared so as to be the same concentration in the same preparation method was in appropriate timing replenished. Furthermore, the sugar content was measured by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd.
A suspension of synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trade mark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) in water was fixed by a pressed dewatering concentration on the liquid supply holes formed at the intervals of 20 cm on a polyvinyl chloride tubing which is 15 mmφ in an inner diameter and 18 mmφ in an outer diameter in order to prepare two lengths of polyvinyl chloride tubing having 80 cylindrical synthetic pulps which were 60 mmφ in a diameter (including the outer diameter of the vinyl chloride tubing) and 100 mm wide (having no synthetic pulp fixed on the part of 2 m from each end of the polyvinyl chloride tubing) at the same interval. A liquid supply pump (Minute 10, manufactured by Sataco) was connected to one of the ends of each tubing, and the other ends of each tubing were respectively connected to the nozzles for liquid supply and liquid receiving on the liquid supply tank via connection valves.
A soybean seed was put in a hole with a size of 20 mmφ in a diameter×10 mm deep on the upper surface of a cylindrical synthetic pulp, the liquid supply tank was placed on the surface of soils, and the polyvinyl chloride tubing was buried so that the cylindrical synthetic pulp was placed at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface.
After the connection valves were opened, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was circulated between in the liquid supply tank and in the vinyl chloride tubing by the liquid supply pump in order to control the flow of the nutrient solution at a rate between 50 and 100 mL/min.
The growth of soybean was observed under the conditions: an ambient temperature of 20 to 30° C., under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on Jun. 11, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution consumption and yield after harvesting are shown in Table 77.
Note that the nutrient solution in the liquid supply tank was previously controlled so as to be a practical concentration and then supplied to the liquid supply tank. The nutrient solution prepared so as to be the same concentration in the same preparation method was in appropriate timing replenished.
A ceramic (a hollow cylindrical ceramic with a size of 20 mmφ in an inner diameter×28 mmφ in an outer diameter×80 mm high) manufactured by Phytoculture Control Co., Ltd. was immersed in the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the ceramic from the lower part of the ceramic. Wheat seeds were put on the inner surface of the ceramic in order to observe the growth under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day (seeded on Jan. 6, 2012). The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 78 in contrast to the results of Example 2.
Wheat seeds were put on the surface of dry sands filled in a cultivation case and a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) was supplied by use of a drip irrigation system made by a drip equipment manufactured by KAKUDAI MFG. Co., Ltd. and an electromagnetic valve manufactured by CKD Corporation in order to observe the growth under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day (seeded on Aug. 27, 2012). The results of the growth and the nutrient solution supply/consumption are shown in Table 79 in contrast to the results of Example 2.
Wheat seeds were put on a urethane material (a size of 30 mmφ in a diameter×15 mm high) fixed on a foamed material and floated on the nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) aerated at a rate of 2 L per minute by an air pump manufactured by Gellex equipped with an exhaust nozzle for bubbling in order to observe the wheat growth by a hydroponic culture under the conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day (seeded on Aug. 27, 2012). The results of the growth and the nutrient solution consumption are shown in Table 80 in contrast to the results of Example 2.
A urethane material (a size of 55 mmφ in a diameter×15 mm high) on which wheat seeds were put was set in a mist cultivation equipment (a cultivation equipment by use of misty aeroponic system) manufactured by Kyoto Net Sales, and a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 2) was sprayed around the wheat roots as a mist cultivation in order to observe the growth under the following conditions: an ambient temperature of 21±3° C., a humidity of 55±15%, an illuminance of 12,000 lux for 9.5 hours per day (seeded on Aug. 27, 2012, sprayed by 8 nozzles at a rate of 56 L/hour per nozzle). The results of the growth and the nutrient solution supply/consumption are shown in Table 81 in contrast to the results of Example 2.
Grape tomatoes were seeded in the same manners as those in Reference Example 1 and Reference Example 3 in order to measure the sugar content of the pulps of the grape tomatoes by a handy refractometer IATC-1E (Brix 0 to 32%) manufactured by luchi Seieido Co., Ltd after the fruitions of the grape tomatoes. The results of sugar content measurement are shown in Table 82 in contrast to the result of Example 3.
A wheat was seeded at a depth of 5 cm from the surface of soils, 300 mL per time of water was twice a day supplied to the soils, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was in appropriate timing supplied as well, and appropriate agrochemical products were treated as well at the time when insects or diseases were observed in order to observe the growth of wheat at 20 to 30° C. and under natural light in a glass greenhouse (seeded on Feb. 10, 2012). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution supply/consumption and the yield are shown in Table 83 in contract to the results of Example 43.
Corn (seeded on Mar. 28, 2012), soybean (seeded on Jun. 28, 2012), cabbage (seeded on Oct. 29, 2012) and grape tomato (seeded on Oct. 29, 2012) were seeded in the same manner as that in Reference Example 6 in order to observe each of the growth. The results of the growth, the nutrient solution supply/consumption and the yield are shown in Table 84 to 87 in contrast to the results of Examples 44 to 47, respectively.
Synthetic pulps (SWP (registered trademark): E400, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) pressed into the sheet form which is 5 mm thick were stacked so as to be firmly attached each other to prepare a cube with a size of 100 mm×100 mm×100 mm (in height), and the cube was then floated on the liquid surface of a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) poured into a cultivation case to allow the nutrient solution to penetrate into the synthetic pulps from the lower part of the synthetic pulps. After a hole with a size of 20 mm×20 mm×10 mm (in depth) was formed on the upper surface of the cube, a broad bean seed was put in the hole (seeded on May 31, 2012). Twenty two days after seeding, when the plant grew up to approximately about 200 mm in height, Aphis craccivora was released to the plant in order to observe the transition of the number of surviving Aphis craccivora. The result is shown in Table 88 in contrast to the results of Examples 54 and 55.
Soybean was seeded in the same manner as that in Reference Example 6 but without any pesticide treatment against greenhouse whitefly in order to observe the transition of the number of the eggs of greenhouse whitefly under no pesticide treatment (seeded on Jun. 28, 2012). The result is shown in Table 89 in contrast to the result of Example 56.
Corn was seeded at a depth of 5 cm from the surface of soils, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was in appropriate timing supplied depending on the corn growth, and appropriate agrochemical products were treated at the time when insects or diseases were observed in order to observe the growth of corn at 20 to 30° C. and under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on May 21, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution supply/consumption, the yield and the sugar content after harvesting are shown in Table 90 in contrast to the results of Example 67.
Soybean was seeded at a depth of 5 cm from the surface of soils, a nutrient solution (the composition is shown in Table 18) was in appropriate timing supplied depending on the soybean growth, and approximate agrochemical products were treated at the time when insects or diseases were observed in order to observe the growth of soybean at 20 to 30° C. and under natural light in a trial field having a roof (seeded on Jun. 11, 2013). The results of the growth, the nutrient solution supply/consumption and the yield after harvesting are shown in Table 91 in contrast to the results of Example 73.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-077949 | Apr 2013 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2014/059849 | 4/3/2014 | WO | 00 |
