JP2008278796A - Plant cultivating method and plant cultivating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plant cultivating method further practicable, and sufficiently obtaining growth promoting effect, and to provide a plant cultivating apparatus applicable for performing the method. <P>SOLUTION: This plant cultivating apparatus 1 has electrodes 3 and 3 which are oppositely arranged at a necessary distance in a container 2, a pulse generator 5, and a power-supply unit 6. An electric field which has electric field intensity of 0.0417-0.1667 V/cm, and an electric current which has electric current density of 0.0110-0.180 mA/cm<SP>2</SP>generate at a rate of about 50-60 times/second in a substrate S between both the electrodes 3 and 3 with the pulse generator 5 and the power-supply unit 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for cultivating a plant under energization and a plant cultivation apparatus applied to the implementation thereof.

In Patent Document 1, which will be described later as a method for cultivating a plant under energization, a pair of electrodes are attached to a plant body, while solar power is generated by a solar cell, and the obtained power is converted to a current of a required value by a constant current device. None, a method is disclosed in which it is applied to both electrodes and supplied to a plant.
Patent Document 2 discloses a method of cultivating a plant by applying a low frequency stimulus of 40 Hz or less to the plant.
JP 2004-248520 A JP 2004-89031 A

However, in the former method, when cultivating a plurality of plants, electrodes must be attached to each plant, which is not practical.
On the other hand, the latter method does not provide a sufficient growth promoting effect for plants.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, Comprising: The plant cultivation method which can acquire more practical and sufficient growth promotion effect, and the plant cultivation apparatus applied to the implementation are provided.

(1) In the plant cultivation method of the present invention, a pair of electrodes are arranged opposite to each other at a predetermined distance in a substrate for cultivating a plant, and the electric field strength is 0.0417 V / cm on the substrate between both electrodes. An electric field of 0.1667 V / cm or less and a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less are generated to grow a plant arranged on the substrate.

(2) Further, the present invention is characterized in that a liquid is used as the substrate, and a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is approximately 12000 cm ³ .

(3) It is also characterized in that soil is used as the substrate, and a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is approximately 395,000 cm ³ .

(4) On the other hand, the plant cultivation apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined distance in a substrate for cultivating a plant, and a power supply device that applies a DC voltage to both electrodes, The power supply device has an electric field strength of 0.0417 V / cm or more and 0.1667 V / cm or less and a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less on the substrate between both electrodes. It is characterized by the fact that it is generated.

(5) Further, the present invention is further characterized by further including a container for storing a liquid as a substrate, and a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is approximately 12000 cm ³ .

(6) Moreover, the container which accommodates the soil which is a substrate is further provided, and the area | region enclosed by the effective part of both the electrodes arrange | positioned facing is characterized by being substantially 395,000 cm < ³ >.

In a liquid or solid substrate for cultivating a plant, a pair of electrodes are arranged opposite to each other at a predetermined distance, a DC voltage is applied to both electrodes by a power supply device, and an electric field is applied to the substrate between both electrodes. An electric field having an intensity of 0.0417 V / cm or more and 0.1667 V / cm or less and a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less were generated and arranged on a substrate between both electrodes. Growing plants.

By stimulating plants with such a weak electric field / current, plant growth is sufficiently promoted. Therefore, the cultivation period of the plant can be shortened and the yield of the plant can be increased.
Moreover, since plants are cultivated on the substrate between the paired electrodes, it is not necessary to attach / remove the electrodes to / from the plants, but it is practical because a plurality of plants can be cultivated at once.

In the case of hydroponics, the area surrounded by the effective portions of both electrodes arranged opposite to each other is approximately 12000 cm ³ . On the other hand, in the case of soil cultivation, the area surrounded by the effective portions of both electrodes arranged opposite to each other is approximately 395,000 cm ³ . Thereby, the cultivation conditions mentioned above can be realized easily and reliably.
The voltage is preferably applied to the pair of electrodes by applying a pulsed DC voltage. The pulse period is preferably about 50 to 60 times / second.

  On the other hand, the time for starting the application of voltage to the electrode is preferably around 9:00 am when the photosynthetic activity of the plant is increased by sunlight, and the application time is preferably 20 minutes or more and 3 hours or less per day. When the time is shorter than 20 minutes, the electrical stimulation to the plant is not sufficient, and when the time is longer than 3 hours, the electrical stimulation to the plant becomes excessive and inhibits the growth of the plant.

Therefore, the present invention also provides a plant cultivation method in which the time for generating the electric field and current is 20 minutes to 3 hours per day.
Furthermore, the present invention also provides a plant cultivation apparatus in which the time for generating the electric field and current is 20 minutes to 3 hours per day.

(First embodiment of the present invention)
Drawing 1 is a mimetic diagram showing the front section of the plant cultivation device concerning the present invention with a principal part block diagram, and has shown the case where it is applied to hydroponics.
As shown in FIG. 1, the plant cultivation apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes, for example, a rectangular box-shaped container 2, and a liquid substrate S in which necessary nutrients are dissolved is contained in the container 2. It flows into the depth near the upper edge.

  The inside of the container 2 is divided into upper and lower layers 22 and 23 by a separation wall 21 disposed so as to be parallel to the bottom wall of the container 2 at an appropriate depth, and the substrate S of the lower layer 23 is pumped up by a pump 24. Then, the tube 25 connected to the pump 24 is supplied to one side of the upper layer 22. On the other side of the upper layer 22, a liquid introduction path 26 for introducing the substrate S in the upper layer 22 into the lower layer 23 is provided, and the substrate S supplied from the lower layer 23 to the upper layer 22 by the pump 24 is provided in the liquid introduction path 26. Thus, the substrate S in the upper layer 22 is introduced into the lower layer 23 so that the substrate S circulates.

In the container 2 of the upper layer 22, flat belt-like electrodes 3 and 3 having substantially the same length as the depth of the container 2 are arranged to face each other with an appropriate distance in the width direction of the container 2. The upper edge of 3 protrudes from the surface of the substrate S. The portions of the electrodes 3 and 3 facing each other and immersed in the substrate S are effective portions of the electrodes 3 and 3.
For the electrodes 3 and 3, various conductive materials such as a conductive metal material, a carbon material, and a conductive resin material can be used.

  Between the electrodes 3 and 3, a plate-like support base 27 that is formed by shaping a water-floating material such as a foaming resin material and supports a plant body is detachably disposed. A plurality of through holes 28, 28,... Penetrating the support base 27 are opened at an appropriate distance from each other. Sponge-like supports 29, 29,... Are fitted in the through holes 28, 28,..., And the plant bodies V, V,. Are supported on the substrate S by the supports 29, 29,.

  A pulsed DC voltage is applied to the electrodes 3 and 3 from the pulse generator 5, and the pulse generator 5 converts a commercial AC voltage into a required DC voltage and outputs the same. A DC voltage is supplied from 6.

And in the plant cultivation apparatus 1 which concerns on this invention, the electric field strength of the electric field intensity of 0.0417V / cm or more and 0.1667V / cm or less is applied to the substrate S between the electrodes 3 and 3, and the current density is 0. A current of 0.110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less is generated at a rate of approximately 50 to 60 times / second.

  By stimulating plants with such a weak electric field / current, plant growth is sufficiently promoted. Therefore, the cultivation period of the plant can be shortened and the yield of the plant can be increased.

  Moreover, since the electrodes 3 and 3 are not attached to the plant body V but are disposed in the substrate S, it is not necessary to attach and remove the electrodes 3 and 3, and the substrate between the electrodes 3 and 3 Since a plurality of plant bodies V, V,... Can be cultivated in S, a practical plant cultivation apparatus 1 can be provided.

2 is a waveform diagram showing the output of the pulse generator 5 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the waveform shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pulse output from the pulse generator 5 rises substantially vertically at the timing when it is turned on, then attenuates to a required value, and then from the timing when it is turned off, Instead of falling at a right angle, it has a downwardly curvilinear decreasing waveform.

  In this way, it is possible to stimulate the growth of the plant by rising rapidly at the rise of the pulse, and to gradually reduce the load at the fall of the pulse, thereby suppressing the load on the plant as much as possible and promoting the growth of the plant.

  On the other hand, the time for starting the application of voltage to the electrodes 3 and 3 is preferably around 9:00 am when the photosynthetic activity of the plant is increased by sunlight, and the application time is preferably 20 minutes or more and 3 hours or less per day. When the time is shorter than 20 minutes, the electrical stimulation to the plant is not sufficient, and when the time is longer than 3 hours, the electrical stimulation to the plant becomes excessive and inhibits the growth of the plant.

By the way, the electrodes 3 and 3 shown in FIG. 1 are arranged so that the plate-like electrodes 3 and 3 having an effective portion of approximately (5 × 40) cm ² are opposed to each other by approximately 60 cm. In other words, the area surrounded by the effective portions of the opposing electrodes 3 and 3 is approximately 12000 cm ³ . In addition, if the area | region enclosed by the effective part of both the electrodes 3 and ³ will be about 12000 cm < ³ >, the magnitude | size of the electrodes 3 and 3 and the distance of the electrodes 3 and 3 can be selected suitably. Thereby, the cultivation conditions mentioned above can be realized easily and reliably.

  FIG. 4 is a histogram showing the relationship between the amount of generated electric field strength and current density and plant growth. In the figure, the vertical axis indicates the growth rate, and the horizontal axis indicates the generated electric field strength and current density.

  Each electric field strength and current density was generated only for 1 hour per day, and compared by the weight of the plant after cultivating for 23 days after germination. The growth rate was calculated with the control when the electric field strength and current density were zero as 100%.

As is clear from FIG. 4, the growth rate is higher than that of the control when the electric field strength is 0.0417 V / cm or more and 0.1667 V / cm or less and the current density is 0.0110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less. When the electric field strength is 0.100 V / cm and the current density is 0.1160 mA / cm ² , the electric field strength is 0.133 V / cm and the current density is 0.1250 mA / cm ² . The growth rate was the highest.

On the other hand, when the electric field strength is lower than 0.0417 V / cm and the current density is lower than 0.0110 mA / cm ² , the growth rate is almost the same as the control, the electric field strength is larger than 0.1667 V / cm, and the current density. When the value was greater than 0.180 mA / cm ² , the growth rate was lower than the control.

FIG. 5 is a histogram showing the relationship between the generation time per day of the electric field strength and current density and the growth of the plant. In the figure, the vertical axis indicates the growth rate, and the horizontal axis indicates the generation time. The generated electric field strength was 0.0417 V / cm, the current density was 0.0110 mA / cm ² , and comparison was made based on the weight of the plants after culturing for 23 days after germination. The growth rate was calculated with the control when the electric field strength and current density were zero as 100%.
As is clear from FIG. 5, the growth rate was improved over the control when it was generated for 20 minutes to 3 hours per day, and the growth rate was highest when it was generated for 1 hour per day.

On the other hand, when it was generated for 10 minutes per day, the growth rate was substantially the same as that of the control, and when it was generated for 5 hours per day, the growth rate was lower than that of the control.
In addition, in this Embodiment, although the plant cultivation apparatus 1 provided with the container 2 which has the upper layer 22 and the lower layer 23 was demonstrated, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention may provide a single container not only in this. Absent.

  Moreover, by increasing the dimension in the depth direction of the container 2 and arranging the electrodes 3 and 3 having a length corresponding to the depth dimension of the container 2, the number of plants V, V,. Can do. In this case, each of the electrodes 3 and 3 may be composed of a plurality of electrodes.

(Second embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 6: is a schematic diagram which shows the front cross section of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention with a principal part block diagram, and has shown the case where it applies to soil cultivation. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to the portions corresponding to the portions shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the plant cultivation apparatus 1 </ b> A includes a container 4 of an appropriate size, and the container 4 is filled with a substrate S that is a soil for cultivating a plant. 3 are embedded at a required distance from each other.

For example, the electrodes 3 and 3 having an effective portion of approximately (130 × 160) cm ² are disposed in the container 4 so as to be separated from each other by approximately 19 cm. That is, the area surrounded by the effective portions of the opposing electrodes 3 and 3 is approximately 395,000 cm ³ . In addition, if the area | region enclosed by the effective part of both the electrodes 3 and ³ will be about 395000 cm < ³ >, the magnitude | size of the electrodes 3 and 3 and the distance of the electrodes 3 and 3 can be selected suitably. Thereby, the cultivation conditions mentioned above can be realized easily and reliably.

Then, by the power supply device 6 and the pulse generator 5, an electric field having an electric field strength of 0.0417 V / cm or more and 0.1667 V / cm or less and a current density of 0.0110 mA / A current of not less than cm ^{2 and not} more than 0.180 mA / cm ² is generated at a rate of approximately 50 to 60 times / second.

  As before, the time for starting the application of voltage to the electrodes 3 and 3 is preferably around 9 am, and the application time is preferably 20 minutes or more and 3 hours or less per day.

  2 and 3 is caused to flow through the substrate S between the electrodes 3 and 3 and the plant bodies V, V,... It is possible to intermittently stimulate the pests to repel such pests from the substrate S and the plant bodies V, V,..., And protect the plant bodies V, V,. It also has the effect of maintaining the growth of….

(Example)
Next, the result of having implemented the cultivation test of the plant with the plant cultivation apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is demonstrated.
As a test plant, Hatsuka radish, mustard rape and chinensai were used. The seeds of each test plant are sown in a plurality of sponge-like supports 29, 29,..., And the supports 29, 29,. Fixed together.

As the liquid substrate S, Home Hyponica (registered trademark) 303 (Kyowa Co., Ltd.), A solution and 110 ml each of which were added to 50 liters of water, was used.
In the test section, a DC voltage is applied to the paired electrodes 3 and 3 to form an electric field with an electric field strength of 0.0417 V / cm and a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm on the substrate S between the electrodes 3 and 3. A current of ² was generated at a rate of 55 times / second.
Occurrence start time was 9 am, and it was generated for 1 hour.

On the other hand, in the control group, a cultivation test was performed under the same conditions as in the test group except that no DC voltage was applied between the paired electrodes 3 and 3.
And after cultivating for 23 days, the weight of the plant body of a test group and the plant body of a control group was measured, respectively. In the measurement of the weight, the support 29 described above is omitted.
The results of the cultivation test are shown in the following table.

  As shown in the table, the weight of the test plot increased in comparison with the weight of the control plot in any of the test plants of Hatsuka Daikon, Karashina and Chingensai. The rate of increase in weight, that is, the growth rate, was 40.5% for Hatsukadai, 295.8% for Karashina, and 61.9% for Chingensai.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the front cross section of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on this invention with a principal part block diagram. It is a wave form diagram which shows the output of the pulse generator shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of the waveform shown in FIG. 2. It is a histogram which shows the relationship between the generation amount of an electric field strength and an electric current density, and plant growth. It is a histogram which shows the relationship between the generation | occurrence | production time per day of electric field strength and electric current density, and plant growth. It is a schematic diagram which shows the front cross section of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention with a principal part block diagram.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plant cultivation apparatus 2 Container 3 Electrode 5 Pulse generator 6 Power supply device 22 Upper layer 23 Lower layer 27 Support stand 29 Support body S Substrate V Plant body

Claims (6)

In a substrate for cultivating plants, a pair of electrodes are arranged opposite to each other at a predetermined distance, and an electric field strength of 0.0417 V / cm or more and 0.1667 V / cm or less is applied to the substrate between both electrodes, and A plant cultivation method comprising cultivating a plant arranged on the substrate by generating an electric current having a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm ² or more and 0.180 mA / cm ² or less. The plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein a liquid is used as the substrate, and a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is set to approximately 12000 cm ³ . The plant cultivation method according to claim 1, wherein soil is used as the substrate, and a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is set to approximately 395,000 cm ³ . A pair of electrodes opposed to each other at a predetermined distance in a substrate for cultivating a plant, and a power supply device for applying a DC voltage to both electrodes, the power supply device has an electric field applied to the substrate between both electrodes. An electric field having a strength of 0.0417 V / cm to 0.1667 V / cm and a current density of 0.0110 mA / cm ^{2 to} 0.180 mA / cm ² are generated. Plant cultivation equipment. The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a container for storing a liquid as a substrate, wherein a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is approximately 12000 cm ³ . The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a container for storing soil as a substrate, wherein a region surrounded by effective portions of both electrodes arranged to face each other is substantially 395,000 cm ³ .

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