JPH0530871A - Formed medium tall in height - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a formed medium capable of supplying sufficient oxygen to the root without causing the damage by excessive moisture by forming a medium in the form of thick plate or column and setting the width of the top face to be smaller than the height of the side face. CONSTITUTION:The objective tall formed medium is produced by forming a medium in the form of thick plate or column and setting the width of the top face to be smaller than the height of the side face. If necessary, the medium is put into a culture liquid tank in a state immersing the lower part of the medium in a culture liquid and exposing the upper part to air.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slab-shaped or column-shaped tall shaped medium. More specifically, in a molding medium formed into a slab or column for plant cultivation, the width dimension of the upper surface of the plant of the molding medium is smaller than the height dimension of the side surface, in other words, the width of the molding medium is The present invention relates to a narrow, high-height shaped medium, and a high-strength shaped medium installed in a nutrient solution tank so that the lower portion is immersed in the nutrient solution and the upper portion is exposed to the air (in the air). Therefore, the present invention is an invention relating to both forming medium cultivation and hydroponic cultivation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional forming medium tillage is still in the test and research stage. For example, rock wool, ceramic fiber,
Synthetic Fiber / Peat Moss / Pulp / Polyurethane Home /
Molded products such as urea resin homes are being tested and studied as culture media. Medium rockwool molding medium cultivation was introduced from the Netherlands several years ago, and it was examined by each agricultural testing and research institute, and some advanced farmers are still conducting small-scale commercial cultivation. The cultivation of the culture medium of the above materials has been carried out only on a very small scale in a limited scale. Therefore, in the following, rock wool cultivation will be described. The forming medium used in conventional rockwool tillage is generally slab-like (FIG. 5) or roughly rectangular or cuboidal (FIG. 4) or substantially cubic. The former is called a board or mat and is installed flat (Fig. 5) and is mainly used for planting fruits and vegetables. Therefore,
The width dimension W of the upper surface 2 on which the plant of the conventional slab-shaped molding medium 1 (FIG. 5) is planted is larger than the height dimension H of the side surface 3. The latter is called cuv and is mainly used for raising seedlings.

In the conventional slab-shaped and broth-shaped forming medium cultivation, fertilizer is generally irrigated on the upper surface of the forming medium as a nutrient solution. However, in the case of raising seedlings using a worm-shaped forming medium, the nutrient solution may be applied from the bottom. Then, the roots of the cultivated plant take in oxygen from the gas phase in the forming medium.

In hydroponics, hydroponics, in which roots of cultivated plants are grown in a nutrient solution stored in a nutrient solution tank for cultivation, is the most popular. In this case, the roots of the cultivated plant utilize oxygen dissolved in the nutrient solution. Some dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution will naturally infiltrate into the nutrient solution from the liquid surface, but this is not enough, so forcibly blowing air into the stored solution or circulating the nutrient solution. When air flows into the nutrient solution when flowing, the nutrient solution is intermittently moved up and down to expose the root to the air, or the root is sprayed with the nutrient solution. Then, the amount of oxygen necessary for the growth of the plant is mechanically replenished using power to cultivate.

[0005]

Now, looking at rockwool cultivation, which is the mainstream of molding medium cultivation, rockwool molding medium is composed of extremely thin mineral fibers of about 7 microns as described above in a thick plate shape (FIG. 5). Alternatively, the medium is shaped like a worm (FIG. 4), and its porosity is 95%. Conventionally, this is installed flat (FIG. 5) and used, but if this is done, once the water becomes saturated, the empty phase will be only 4 to 5%, and the drainage will be extremely poor. Therefore, even if the irrigation amount of the nutrient solution is adjusted with extreme caution, there is still a great risk of causing an overhumidity disorder.

[0006] Further, as a method of applying the nutrient solution for rock wool cultivation, there are a conventional pouring method and a circulating method. Among them, in the pouring method, the amount of the irrigated nutrient solution leaking out of the forming medium is not negligible, which is not only economical but also a pollution problem. Although the irrigation equipment is relatively simple compared to hydroponics, it cannot be denied that it is still complicated and expensive. On the other hand, the circulation method eliminates the leakage of the nutrient solution from the outside of the forming medium, but for that purpose, a very complicated and expensive nutrient solution irrigation and circulation equipment is required as in the case of hydroponics described later. As described above, even in the forming medium cultivation, and in the rock wool cultivation in which the tests and researches are most advanced today, there is a great deal of room to improve the forming medium and the cultivation equipment as well as the cultivation technique. Above all, the application of the nutrient solution is performed by electric power, but in the event of a power failure, it is difficult to take countermeasures like general hydroponics.

Next, regarding hydroponic cultivation, hydroponic cultivation is based on gravel cultivation carried out by postwar troops, and after that, with improvements unique to Japan, various hydroponic methods as described above were developed. There are also simplified technologies recently introduced from the United Kingdom, such as NFT, but both are energy-intensive cultivations that require high equipment costs and operating costs to apply the nutrient solution.
Further, since the scale of hydroponics in Japan is narrower than that of EC countries, the equipment cost is extremely high, and the cost of the product is also a big problem. There is an urgent need to improve these problems.

Although it can be said that the cultivation technique is substantially established in the submerged cultivation, in the high temperature period of the summer, the dissolved oxygen becomes insufficient, so that the liquid temperature cannot be efficiently lowered. It is necessary to establish measures and disease control measures for roots. However, that measure is a difficult problem. In addition, in the above-mentioned NFT-type hydroponics, which has been recently introduced and attracted attention, the equipment is relatively simplified and the cultivation is easier than the submerged cultivation, but as the plants grow, they grow in the bed. There are many problems such as an increase in the amount of roots to form a root mat and stop the flow of the nutrient solution, or the nutrient solution flows over the root mat to cause oxygen deficiency. In addition, there is a large daily and seasonal variation in the liquid temperature, there is a risk of causing high and low temperature damage to the roots, and since the amount of culture liquid per individual is small, even if cultivated with meticulous nutrient management, There are problems such as growth failure often occurring.

The high-height shaped medium of the present invention is intended to solve all of the problems existing in the conventional shaped medium culture and hydroponic culture as described above.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a plate-shaped or column-shaped molded medium, characterized in that the width dimension of the upper surface is smaller than the height dimension of the side surface, and a plate-shaped or medium-shaped medium. A lengthy forming medium shaped like a column and having a width dimension on the top surface smaller than the height dimension on the side surface is immersed in the nutrient solution at the lower part, and the upper part is exposed to the air and placed in the nutrient solution tank. The present invention provides a high-tension molded medium characterized by the following.

The tall shaped medium of the present invention is a thick shaped medium 1 as shown in FIG. 1 or a columnar shaped medium 1 as shown in FIG.
However, it is not flat as shown in FIG.
Therefore, the width dimension W of the upper surface 2 on which the plant of the tall shaped medium is planted is smaller than the height dimension H of the side surface 3. Further, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the high-strength shaped culture medium 1 has its upper portion exposed to the air 1a and its lower portion immersed in the nutrient solution 5 stored in the nutrient solution tank 4, Those provided in the nutrient solution tank 4 are also provided. In this case, it is preferable that the exposed portion 1a of the tall shaped medium 1 in the air is as large as possible within a range in which the nutrient solution ascends the tall shaped medium 1 by a capillary action.

For example, as a high-strength molding medium for rock wool when cultivating tomatoes, the width dimension W of the upper surface 2 on which the plant is planted is 5 cm to 20 cm, and the height dimension H is 15 c.
It is preferably m to 40 cm, and when installed in the nutrient solution tank, the exposed portion 1a of the tall molding medium 1 in the air preferably has a ridge of 10 to 30 cm. Also, the tall shaped medium of this invention is preferably configured to be longitudinal fibers when installed.
It should be noted that the height-forming medium of the present invention can be used by arranging a plurality of height-forming mediums in parallel, or individually stacking a plurality of shape-forming mediums that are not height-forming mediums and setting the width dimension of the upper surface to the height of the side surface. It can be constructed by making the size smaller than the core size.

In addition to the rockwool molding medium, the tall molding medium of the present invention includes tetron fibers, ceramic fibers, polyurethane homes, urea resin homes and other organic or inorganic synthetic fibers and homes, and pulp. , Peat moss and other natural fibers can also be used.

[0014]

[Operation] When the rockwool molding medium is installed flat as shown in Fig. 5, the water drainage is extremely poor. Further, as recommended and studied by the national agricultural research institute in Japan, for example, even if it is inclined by about 7 ° laterally, the drainage is only slightly improved. In this case, the gas phase of the molding medium cannot satisfy the gas phase of 20% or more required for the plants to grow well. Therefore, in the conventional rock wool cultivation, overhumidity failure frequently occurs. However, as shown in FIG. 1, when the molding medium is constructed as a tall molding medium of the present invention which is stood upright, excess water is quickly drained, which is necessary for plant growth. % Or more gas phase can be fully satisfied.

Further, when the tall molding medium of the present invention is installed in a nutrient solution tank in which the upper part is exposed to the air and is in contact with the air as shown in FIG. 3, the nutrient solution is a capillary tube. By the action, it oozes over the entire portion 1a exposed in the air above the molding medium. Then, the roots of the plant planted on the upper surface of the forming medium are densely developed not only in the forming medium but also on the side wall thereof. It sticks so as to bite into the medium, and the other side is exposed to the air, that is, most of the roots are covered with the side wall so as to wrap around the side wall of the air-exposed portion 1a of the molding medium. Since the roots grow in contact with each other, the roots can take in water, nutrients and oxygen very efficiently and sufficiently. Therefore, although the forming medium is extremely humid in the conventional view, no overhumidity damage occurs. By the way, there is a study that the roots of plants can take up 2 to 3 times more oxygen in the air than in the water.

In conventional hydroponics, when the roots are extended into the air, the nutrient solution is frequently sprayed intermittently or the water level of the nutrient solution is intermittently applied so that the roots do not dry. It had to be raised and lowered frequently so that the roots would always be moistened, but in the cultivation of the tall forming medium of the present invention, simply immersing the lower part of the tall forming medium in the nutrient solution as described above. The roots are sufficiently moist and fully exposed to air, and grow vigorously and vigorously.

[0017]

【Example】

Example 1 As an example, a 10 cm × 20 cm × 90 cm thick plate-shaped rockwool molding medium (manufactured by Nitto Boseki) was used, and the molding medium was set up horizontally as shown in FIG.
The surface of m is the upper surface for planting, and the height is 20 cm, that is, the width of the upper surface for planting is smaller than the height. , 3 seedlings of tomato (cultivar Momotaro) were planted regularly, and 5 rows of flower bunches were attached to the seedlings, and they were cultivated in 5 consecutive systems.

As a comparative example, the same 10 cm × 20 as above
A cm × 90 cm thick plate-shaped rock wool molding medium (manufactured by Nitto Boseki) is placed flat as in FIG.
The surface of × 90cm is the top surface for planting and the height is 10c.
m, 3 tomatoes (cultivar Momotaro) were planted on the upper surface of the molding medium in the same manner as in the example, and 5 bunches of flower bunches were attached and plucked and cultivated in 5 consecutive cycles. The fertilizer is a mixture of house fertilizer No. 1 and No. 2 made by Otsuka Chemical at a ratio of 1.5; 1.0, and a nutrient solution dissolved in water to have an EC of 1.5 to 2.0. Irrigation was applied by pouring with an irrigation tube (trade name: Everflow, manufactured by Mitsui Oil Chemicals Co., Ltd.). The results are shown in Table 1.

[0019]

[Table 1]

As described above, the present example is a cultivation of Momotaro, which has a reputation that the cultivation is difficult and the yield does not increase, but it has an extremely excellent result. Generally, the yield of Momotaro is said to be 7t to 8t with 5 steps of plucking with 2,400 strains planted per 10a.
It is estimated that 0 g × 2,400 strains = 11,064 g, that is, the equivalent yield of 10 tons per 10 a. Furthermore, the ball alignment is good, the number of defective fruits is small, and the quality is extremely superior. On the other hand, in the comparative example, 3,440 g × 2,400 strains = 8,256 g, that is, 8 tons per 10a, which is about the same as the conventional average yield. Furthermore, the ball alignment is poor, there are many defective fruits, and the quality is poor. The main cause of the yield and other inferior factors of the comparative example is overhumidity of the medium. That is, due to overhumidity, root development is poor and damage occurs, resulting in poor growth of the plant. Inevitably, the yield is low, the ball alignment becomes poor, and many poor fruits occur.

Example 2 As an example, a 7.5 mm × 30 cm × 90 cm thick plate-shaped rockwool forming medium (manufactured by Nitto Boseki) was used, and the forming medium was fed with a nutrient solution at a depth of 15 cm as shown in FIG. Stand horizontally in the stored nutrient solution, 7.5 cm x 90 cm is the top surface for planting, and the height is 30 cm, that is, the width of the top surface of the plant for molding medium is the height of the side surface. A smaller, high-height molding medium of the present invention was constructed, and 3 tomato (variety Haus Momotaro) seedlings were planted and planted with 5 steps of flower clusters and cultivated in 5 consecutive cycles. In addition, as the nutrient solution, a mixture of house fertilizer No. 1 and No. 2 manufactured by Otsuka Chemical at a ratio of 1.5: 1.0 dissolved in water to have an EC of 1.5 to 2.0 is used. I was there. Further, the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution tank was replenished so that it became 15 cm when the depth dropped to 5 cm. The cultivation results are shown in Table 2.

[0022]

[Table 2]

In this example, the yield and the ball set are extremely excellent. From the above table, 2,4 per 10a
Converting to planting 00 strains gives 5,050 g x 2,400 strains = 12,120 g. As described in Example 2, 1
The yield of 12 tons per 0a is a very excellent yield.
No cultivation problems such as overhumidity damage occurred.

Example 3 As an example, a cross section of 15 cm × 15 cm and a height of 25 cm
Columnar rockwool molding medium 10 pieces, nutrient solution to a depth of 15
Melon (variety Aarus summer system No. 1) cultivated in a nutrient solution tank stored in cm at an interval of 40 cm, and cultivated on the upper surface of each columnar molding medium with 10 cm ³ of rock wool kiyubu for raising seedlings.
10 seedlings of each plant were planted in total, and each plant was cultivated with one fruit set. Otsuka chemical house fertilizer 1
No.2 and No.2 mixed at a ratio of 1.5: 1.0, E
What was melt | dissolved in C1.5-2.0 was used. The cultivation results are shown in Table 3.

[0025]

[Table 3]

As described above, the results are not inferior to the standard of the conventional melon full-time farmer. Especially, the water can be liquidated very easily and satisfactorily, so it has a high sugar content and an excellent taste.

[0027]

The present invention, having the above-mentioned structure, has the following outstanding advantages.

(1) In the case of culturing by irrigating the tall molding medium of the present invention with a nutrient solution by pouring, the drainage is extremely good, and thus it is the greatest drawback of conventional molding medium cultivation such as rock wool cultivation. There is no overhumidity disorder. In particular, in the longitudinal fiber forming medium, the above-mentioned effect is large. Also,
Even if the tall shaped medium of the present invention is installed in a bed that does not drain and the nutrient solution is irrigated by the pouring method, not only does the overhumidity disorder not occur, but the nutrient solution is different from the conventional pouring method. Since it is not washed away, there is no loss of fertilizer and no pollution problems.

(2) In the invention of claim 2, wherein the tall shaped medium of the present invention is installed in a nutrient solution tank, the lower portion of the tall shaped medium is immersed in the nutrient solution and the upper portion thereof is placed in the air. Since it is exposed and the nutrient solution is moistened to the exposed upper part by the capillary action, (a) as described above, the root of the cultivated plant is exposed to the air of the high-strength forming medium and exposed to the air. Since it grows in close contact with the side wall of the part that is in contact with the skin, the root can sufficiently take in water, nutrients and oxygen, so the shortage of oxygen, which was the biggest problem of conventional submerged cultivation, Nothing happens, the plant breathes enough oxygen and grows very vigorously. The overhumidity disorder did not occur at all, and its excellent cultivation results are as described in the examples. (B) Further, in this invention, the cultivation equipment is extremely simple and inexpensive, and the labor-saving and energy-saving effects are extremely large.
For example, if the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution is 30 liters per tomato plant, it is about 15 days in the summer and about 30 days in the winter.
Just replenish the rejuvenating solution. Also, in the case of short-term cultivation of tomatoes or cultivation of melons, depending on the size of the nutrient solution tank, if the solution is collected once at the time of planting, it is not necessary to supplement the nutrient solution until the end of harvesting. You can

As described above, according to the present invention, the problem of overhumidity, which is the biggest problem of the conventional forming medium cultivation, and the lack of oxygen, which is the biggest problem of the conventional submerged cultivation, are extremely simple labor-saving and energy-saving constructions. Can be solved at once and completely. Facility costs are also extremely low.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a thick plate-shaped medium having a high strength according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a columnar shape of the high strength molding medium of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the tall shaped medium of the present invention installed in a nutrient solution tank.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a broth-shaped forming medium.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example in which a plate-shaped molding medium is flatly installed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 forming medium 1a Area exposed in the air 2 upper surface 3 sides 4 nutrient solution 5 nutrient solution W top width H side height L length

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tall shaped medium which is formed into a thick plate or a column and has a width dimension of an upper surface smaller than a height dimension of a side surface. 2. A molding medium that is molded into a thick plate or a column and has a width dimension on the upper surface smaller than a height dimension on the side surface is immersed in a nutrient solution at the lower portion and exposed to the air at the upper portion. A tall shaped medium that is installed in a liquid tank.