JP2001028947A - Method for raising useful plant - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for raising a useful plant economically and safely by irradiating the plant or a germination raising bed therefor with lights emitted from each specific semiconductor light source so as to diminish the breeding of pests. SOLUTION: This method for raising a useful plant comprises irradiating the plant 41 or a germination raising bed therefor with light radiated from a semiconductor light source emitting ultraviolet light 250-375 nm in wavelength and light radiated from a 2nd semiconductor light source emitting at least one of three kinds of light: red light, blue light and yellow light with wavelengths of 600-750 nm, 410-460 nm and 550-585 nm, respectively; wherein the useful plant 41 to be irradiated may be strawberry, tomato or mushroom.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for growing useful plants such as strawberries, tomatoes, and mushrooms using artificial light sources such as light emitting diodes and laser diodes in artificial plant cultivation such as greenhouse cultivation. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, useful plants such as vegetables and fruits have been cultivated throughout the year by artificial cultivation such as greenhouse cultivation. In order for useful plants grown by artificial cultivation to maintain the same quality as useful plants cultivated in the open field, it is necessary to appropriately control environmental conditions in artificial cultivation devices such as vinyl houses. Appropriate control of the amount of light irradiated to plants is one of the factors that have the greatest effect on the growth of plants, regardless of whether the artificial cultivation equipment is a complete artificial light type or a combined use with sunlight. Lighting devices are indispensable for artificial plant cultivation.

Conventionally, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, halogen lamps, and the like have been used as illuminating devices. However, these illuminating devices require a large amount of energy, so that the power cost increases. There was a possibility of causing dielectric breakdown in the system. Also, in artificial cultivation such as greenhouse cultivation, which tends to be inadequately ventilated, there is a problem that pests and insects occur frequently, so a large amount of pesticides must be used as a preventive measure, this is only the production cost In addition, the dangers of food hygiene and environmental hygiene have increased. Therefore, ensuring economics and safety,
It has been a long-standing issue in the field of artificial cultivation.

On the other hand, there has been proposed a possibility of plant cultivation using a light emitting diode (LED) as a lighting device which replaces a conventional incandescent light bulb or the like. For example,
No. 8-103167 discloses that a wavelength of 400 n is provided by an LED.
A plant cultivation apparatus for irradiating a plant with light having a wavelength of m to 480 nm and a wavelength of 620 to 700 nm has been proposed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-242694 discloses an LED having a wavelength of 400 nm to 500 nm and a wavelength of 600 nm to 7 nm.
A plant cultivation method of irradiating a plant with pulsed light of 50 nm has been proposed. However, although the proposed technology can provide a certain economic effect, the problem of economic and safety due to the frequent occurrence of pests and diseases has not yet been solved.

[0005]

Due to the above-mentioned problems inherent in artificial cultivation, especially in the off-season cultivation of agricultural products, it is difficult to obtain a price and safety that are satisfactory to users, and this is difficult for artificial cultivation such as greenhouse cultivation. It hindered the spread of cultivation.

[0006] In order to solve these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an economical and safe method for growing useful plants that reduces the occurrence of pests and diseases.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The inventors of the present invention have conducted studies to achieve the above object, and as a result, it has been found that a method of irradiating ultraviolet light and visible light of a specific wavelength from a semiconductor light source is effective in reducing pests and insects and reducing plant damage. It was found to be effective in fostering and to be excellent in economy and safety.

That is, the gist of the present invention is to use a semiconductor light source such as a light emitting diode or a laser diode to emit ultraviolet light (wavelength 250 nm to 375 nm) and visible light of a specific wavelength (red light having a wavelength of 600 nm to 750 nm, or 410 nm to 460 nm). Blue light or wavelength 550n
m to 585 nm of yellow light) to the useful plant or its germinating and growing bed, thereby reducing disease and pest and economically and safely growing the useful plant.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Plants obtain the necessary energy from sunlight during their growth process as seen in photosynthesis. Sunlight on the ground slightly includes ultraviolet light in a short wavelength range of 200 to 400 nm in addition to visible light such as red and blue. This ultraviolet light has a high photon energy of about 3 eV to 6 eV,
It has a bactericidal and insecticidal effect and can enter small gaps because of its short wavelength. Further, in fungi such as mushrooms, ultraviolet light plays a role in facilitating the generation of fruiting bodies.

[0010] In a closed house such as a vinyl house or the like, pests and insects are liable to occur frequently due to insufficient ventilation, so that a bactericidal and insecticidal effect is required more than in open-field cultivation. However, not only in a completely artificial light type cultivation apparatus but also in a normal vinyl house combined with sunlight, transparent vinyl considerably absorbs ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 400 nm or less in sunlight. Thus, even small amounts of ultraviolet light are greatly reduced before reaching the plant. Therefore, it is important to supply plants with ultraviolet light together with visible light for healthy plant growth.

Therefore, the present inventors have decided to irradiate useful plants with ultraviolet light in addition to visible light, using semiconductor light sources such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes as light sources for light irradiation. For example, an LED has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 3
Since it is as high as 0% to 40% and only wavelengths effective for growing plants can be selected, power consumption is small and economical.
In addition, since the LED is a low-voltage driven (4 V or less) element, it can be used in an electric field that causes dielectric breakdown even under high humidity using a normal drive circuit and a current introduction line, and is hardly leaked, and is economical and safe. Nature is secured. further,
Compared to irradiation with an incandescent light bulb or the like, it is possible to suppress burning of fruit seedlings and fruit surfaces.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described.
The content of the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the embodiment of the present invention, ultraviolet light (center wavelength 300 nm), red (center wavelength 650 nm), and blue (center wavelength 43) are emitted from a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source.
(0 nm) and yellow (center wavelength: 570 nm) light, strawberry, tomato, and mushroom, which are useful plants, were grown.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are views for explaining an embodiment of a method for growing strawberries according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a positional relationship between a ridge of strawberry seedlings and an LED array in a vinyl house, and FIG. It is the conceptual diagram seen from the side. In this embodiment, strawberry seedlings are planted in three ridges A, B, and C parallel to each other in a vinyl house, and the LED array 15 is installed above the ridge A among them. LED
The array 15 includes an LED 11 that emits red light, an LED 12 that emits blue light, and an LED 1 that emits yellow light.
3 and an LED 14 that emits ultraviolet light.
Red, blue and ultraviolet light using the D array 15 as a light source,
Alternatively, strawberry is grown by irradiating yellow and ultraviolet light to the strawberry seedlings in the ridge A.

Considering the directivity of the LEDs 11 to 14, the ridge A immediately below the LED array 15 is irradiated with high intensity light, and the ridge B obliquely below the LED array 15 is irradiated with low intensity light. The ridge C at a position deviated from the LED array 15 is irradiated only with natural light (sunlight transmitted through the vinyl house). After growing strawberries for about two weeks under the above-mentioned light environment, the present inventors harvest the fruits of the strawberries in the ridges A to C, compare the fruits using a sugar content measurement, and
The effect of light irradiation from the ED array 15 was examined. In this example, the greenhouse cultivation greenhouse was used in combination with sunlight in the off-season, but during this period there were more than half of rainy or cloudy days, and sunlight alone was not enough light for strawberries. Was.

FIG. 3 is a table showing a comparison of the maximum value, the minimum value and the average value of the sugar content of the ridges A to C measured for the sugar content. The strawberries in the ridges A and B have a maximum sugar content that is not so different from the strawberries in the ridge C, but the average sugar content and the minimum sugar content are higher by about 40% to 50%, and the variation in the sugar content of each strawberry is reduced. Was. Since there was no significant difference in the sugar content of the strawberries between the ridges A and B, it is considered that the intensity of light had little relation to the sugar content of the strawberries. In addition, there was not much difference in the sugar content between the strawberry irradiated with red, blue and ultraviolet light and the strawberry irradiated with yellow and ultraviolet light. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is considered that the wavelength of the visible light may be either red, blue or yellow. Furthermore, the strawberry seedlings in ridge A and ridge B were less damaged by pests and insects than the strawberry seedlings in ridge C. It is believed that ultraviolet light played a role of sterilization and insecticidal.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views for explaining an embodiment of the method for growing tomato (red oar variety) according to the present invention. The positional relationship between the ridges of tomato seedlings and the LED array in a vinyl house is shown from a plane. It is the conceptual diagram seen from the side and the conceptual diagram seen from the side. Recently, tomatoes with high sugar content, such as red ol, are popular, but these are originally the origin of the Andes, and it is desired to grow them under drying and high ultraviolet light. Since it must be grown under humidity control in a vinyl house or the like in order to maintain high drying, it is necessary to supply ultraviolet light or the like to supplement sunlight. In this embodiment, in a vinyl house, tomato (red all seed) seedlings are planted on two ridges D and E parallel to each other.
The LED array 25 is installed above the. The LED array 25 includes an LED 21 that emits red light, an LED 22 that emits blue light, and an LED 23 that emits yellow light.
An LED 24 that emits ultraviolet light, and using the LED array 25 as a light source for red, blue, and ultraviolet light, or
Irradiate yellow and ultraviolet light on the row D tomato seedlings.
Further, only the natural light (sunlight transmitted through the vinyl house) is irradiated on the ridge E at a position deviated from the LED array 25.

In addition, on one side of the ridge D, a side-emitting LED including an LED 21 for emitting red light and an LED 22 for emitting blue light, or an LED 23 for emitting yellow light
An array 26 is provided. Thereby, the irradiation of the red and blue light or the yellow light to some tomato seedlings in the ridge D is replaced by the irradiation from the LED array 25 and the side irradiation L
Only the ultraviolet light is LED with the side illumination from ED array 26
Irradiation from array 25 was used. The present inventors have grown tomatoes for about 2 weeks under the above-mentioned light environment, and then harvested strawberry fruits of ridges D and E, compared each fruit using sugar content measurement, and compared the LED array 25 and The effect of light irradiation from the side-illuminated LED array 26 was examined.
Also in this example, there were more than half of rainy or cloudy days during the growing period, and it was not possible to say that the amount of light was sufficient for tomatoes by sunlight alone.

FIG. 6 is a table showing the maximum, minimum, and average values of the sugar content of the tomatoes in the ridges D and E measured for the sugar content. The maximum sugar content and the minimum sugar content of the tomatoes in the row D are higher than those of the row E, and the average sugar level of the tomatoes in the row D is 7.0, so that the row E
, The sugar content was improved by about 0.6 compared to the tomato.
This improvement is important because redols with a sugar content of 7 or more are highly regarded in the market as high sugar content tomatoes. The tomato grown by irradiation from the side instead of irradiation from above also improved the sugar content almost in the same way as the tomato grown by irradiation from above, so irradiating light from the side is also useful for improving the sugar content of tomatoes. It is believed that there is. In addition, there was not much difference in the sugar content between the tomato irradiated with red, blue and ultraviolet light and the tomato irradiated with yellow and ultraviolet light. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is considered that the wavelength of the visible light may be red, blue, or yellow. Further, similarly to the case of the strawberry, the tomato seedlings in the ridge D had a reduced insect pest due to the insecticidal and bactericidal effects of ultraviolet light as compared to the seedlings in the ridge E.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an artificial cultivation apparatus for carrying out the method for growing mushrooms according to the present invention. The artificial cultivation apparatus 31 includes a mushroom floor 32 for growing mushrooms on the inner bottom surface of a box-shaped case, and an LED 33 that emits ultraviolet light and an LED 3 that emits red light on the inner upper surface of the case.
The LED array 35 including the LED array 4 is installed as a light source. In this example, mycelia were buried in the mushroom floor 32, and ultraviolet and red light was emitted from the LED array 35 to the soil surface of the mushroom floor 32 to generate fruit bodies and grow mushrooms 36.

As a result, the number of fruiting bodies increased by 20 to 30% as compared with the case without irradiation with ultraviolet light. From this, it is considered that ultraviolet light has an effect of promoting the occurrence of fruiting bodies of mushrooms. In addition, direct irradiation of fruiting bodies with ultraviolet light significantly reduced insect damage due to the insecticidal effect of ultraviolet light.

The present inventors have repeatedly studied and found that the wavelength 2
50 nm to 375 nm (more preferably, 250 nm
~ 300nm) and red light (wavelength 600nm ~
750 nm), blue light (wavelength 410 nm to 460 n)
m), irradiation with visible light including at least one of three colors of yellow light (wavelength 550 nm to 585 nm),
It was found to be most effective in preventing pests and breeding plants.

FIG. 8 is an external view of a preferred greenhouse cultivation apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention. In the present greenhouse cultivation apparatus, the useful plants 41 are planted on the soil at the bottom of the solar-transparent vinyl house 42 constructed to maintain the cultivation environment. An LED array 47 that includes ultraviolet LEDs 43, red LEDs 44, blue LEDs 45, and yellow LEDs 46 that emit light in the preferred range of wavelengths described above is installed above the soil in the vinyl house 42, and the pillars (shown in FIG. )). A power supply control box 48 for controlling the power supplied to the LED array 47 is provided outside the vinyl house 42, and is connected to the LED array 47 via a conductive cord.
Connected to ED array 47. Also, the LED array 47
A solar cell panel 49 and a storage battery 50 for supplying electric power to the power supply are installed outside the vinyl house 42 and connected to the power supply control box 48 via conductive cords. The solar cell panel 49 is installed at a position where sunlight can be taken, with the surface for taking sunlight facing upward. An illuminance sensor 51 that senses illuminance in the vinyl house 42 and outputs an electric signal is installed in the vinyl house 42 facing the ceiling so as to collect sunlight, and is connected to the power control box 48 via a conductive cord. Connected. Further, a reflected light sensor 52 that detects reflected light from the leaves or fruits of the useful plant 41 and outputs an electric signal is provided.
Is installed in the vinyl house 42 in the direction of the leaves or fruits, and is connected to the power supply control box 48 via a conductive cord.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a connection relationship between the power supply control box 48 and various devices. The power supply control box 48 includes a controller 53 and a timer 5 therein.
4. An operation panel 55 and a light source driver 56 are provided.
A conductive cord for receiving electric power or an electric signal from the solar cell panel 49, the storage battery 50, the illuminance sensor 51, and the reflected light sensor 52 is connected to the controller 53 via an electric circuit inside the power supply control box 48. Timer 5 for outputting an electric signal according to the set time
4, and an operation panel 55 for outputting an electric signal in accordance with a manual command of a user is provided with a power control box 48.
Is connected to the controller 53 via an internal electric circuit.
Also, the power controlled by the controller 53 is LE
A light source driver 56 to be supplied to the D array 47 is connected to the controller 53 and a conductive cord from the LED array via an electric circuit in the power supply control box 48.

In the present greenhouse cultivation apparatus, electric power is supplied from the solar cell panel 49 in fine weather, and from the storage battery 50 in rainy weather and at night. The controller 53 includes the illuminance sensor 5
1, reflected light sensor 52, timer 54 or operation panel 5
An electric signal for optimizing the amount of light is received from the control unit 5, the electric power supplied from the solar cell panel 49 or the storage battery 50 is controlled, and pulse control such as blinking is performed, and transmitted to the light source driver 56. The light source driver 56 uses LED power
Supply to the array 47, the ultraviolet LED 4 of the LED array 47
3, red LED44, blue LED45 and yellow LED
46 converts the supplied power into light of each wavelength,
Irradiate useful plants.

With this power control system, useful plants 4
1 can be supplied with an appropriate amount of light. For example, by inputting a set value to the timer 54, the light amount can be optimized according to time such as day and night. In addition, by inputting a set value to the operation panel 55,
The light amount can be manually optimized according to the weather, fruit set time, and other conditions. Further, the amount of light can be automatically optimized according to the amount of sunshine or the like based on the electric signal from the illuminance sensor 51. Furthermore, in order to efficiently blink the LEDs so that the growth of each fruit of the plant is optimal, it is possible to control the blinking of each LED according to the growth state distribution by an electric signal from the reflected light sensor 52. it can.

In the greenhouse cultivation apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention, the luminous body serving as a light source is not limited to an LED, and another semiconductor light source such as a laser diode can be used. The radiated light from the luminous body can be irradiated not only to the plant itself but also to a germinating and growing bed such as soil due to a bactericidal effect in the soil. In addition, in order to directly irradiate the back surface of the leaf or the fruit itself, light can be irradiated from the side surface or the lower surface. Further, these can be combined to irradiate the plant itself and soil from various directions, and after fruiting, the irradiation direction can be changed according to the fruiting time, such as irradiating the fruit from below. Therefore, the LED array can be installed not only on the upper surface but also on the side surface or lower surface of the useful plant.

The power supply control box can use various control devices for receiving and transmitting electric signals and controlling electric power, and can also be installed inside a vinyl house. As the power source, it is desirable to use the solar cell alone or in combination with another storage battery from the viewpoint of resource saving. However, in addition to the solar cell, various power sources including at least one of a power generation unit and a power storage unit can be used. In addition, since power consumption of the LED is smaller than that of a conventional incandescent light bulb or the like, a smaller power supply can be used, so that the LED can be installed inside a vinyl house.

[0028]

According to the present invention, an economical and safe method for reducing the occurrence of pests and insects by irradiating useful plants with ultraviolet light and visible light of a specific wavelength from a semiconductor light source can be provided. As a result, even in artificial cultivation such as greenhouse cultivation in the off-season, useful plants having a quality comparable to that of open-field cultivation can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a method for growing strawberries according to the present invention, and is a conceptual diagram showing a positional relationship between ridges of strawberry seedlings and an LED array in a vinyl house as viewed from a plane.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a method for growing strawberries according to the present invention, and is a conceptual diagram showing a positional relationship between ridges of strawberry seedlings and an LED array in a vinyl house as viewed from a side.

FIG. 3 is a table showing a comparison of the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the sugar content of a strawberry according to the presence / absence, intensity, and wavelength of light emitted from an LED.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a method for growing tomato (red oar variety) according to the present invention, and is a conceptual diagram showing a positional relationship between a row of tomato seedlings and an LED array in a vinyl house as viewed from a plane.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an embodiment of a method for growing tomato (red oar variety) according to the present invention, and is a conceptual diagram showing a positional relationship between ridges of tomato seedlings and an LED array in a vinyl house as viewed from a side.

FIG. 6 is a table showing a comparison of the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the sugar content of tomato (red all species) depending on the presence / absence, wavelength, and irradiation direction of light emitted from the LED.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an artificial cultivation apparatus for carrying out the method for growing mushrooms according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an external view of a preferred greenhouse cultivation apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a connection relationship between a power supply control box and various devices of a preferable greenhouse cultivation apparatus for implementing the method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 red LED, 12 blue LED, 13 yellow LE
D, 14: ultraviolet LED, 15: LED array, 21: red LED, 22: blue LED, 23: yellow LED, 24
... UV LED, 25 ... LED array, 26 ... Side illumination L
ED array, 31: artificial cultivation device, 32: mushroom floor, 3
3: UV LED, 34: Red LED, 35: LED array, 36: Mushroom, 41: Useful plant, 42: Vinyl house, 43: Red LED, 44: Blue LED, 45: Yellow LED, 46: UV LED, 47 … LED array, 48
... Power control box, 49 ... Solar panel, 50 ... Storage battery, 51 ... Illuminance sensor, 52 ... Reflected light sensor, 53 ...
Controller, 54: Timer, 55: Operation panel, 56
… Light source driver

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (71) Applicant 599103823 Akira Miyaki 1676-3, Mikatahara-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka (72) Inventor Hiroshi Fujiyasu 1-38-8 Enshuhama, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka (72) Inventor Fujiyasu Kentaro 1-38-8 Enshuhama, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture (72) Inventor Masahiro Kosugi 4661 Komatsu, Hamakita City, Shizuoka Prefecture (72) Inventor Yoko Kosugi 4661, Komatsu, Hamakita City, Shizuoka Prefecture (72) Inventor Shiro Hajime Shimooka, Shizuoka Prefecture 29 (72) Inventor Shinichiro Ishigaki 7-3-34 Maruko, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture (72) Inventor Takemitsu Ishigaki 7-3-34 Maruko, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture (72) Inventor Akira Miyaki 1676 Mikataharacho, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture -3 (72) Inventor Hiroho Nishizawa 8-6 Ichibancho, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka F-term (reference) 2B022 AB15 DA08

Claims (2)

[Claims] A light emitted from a semiconductor light source emitting ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 250 nm to 375 nm;
750 nm red light, 410 nm to 460 nm blue light, and 550 nm to 585 nm yellow light emitted from a semiconductor light source that emits at least one of the three colors of a useful plant or a useful plant germination and growth floor. A method for growing useful plants, comprising irradiating the useful plants. 2. The method for cultivating a useful plant according to claim 1, wherein the useful plant is a strawberry, a tomato or a mushroom.