JP2010213632A - Seedling cultivation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seedling cultivation device with which water is evenly supplied to many seedling pots by bottom watering, and also the roots of plants are effectively prevented from getting out of the respective seedling pots and sticking to a tray so as to efficiently take out the many seedling pots from the tray, so that the many seedlings are efficiently cultivated. <P>SOLUTION: The seedling cultivation device includes: a plurality of seedling pots 1 at the bottom surface of each of which a water supply opening 1a is formed and in each of which a seedling is cultivated; a tray 2 on the horizontal surface of which the plurality of the seedling pots 1 are placed side by side and in which the liquid surface level of supplied nutrient liquid can be adjusted; a supporting board 3 on which a plurality of the trays 2 are horizontally disposed side by side; and a liquid supply mechanism 4 for supplying a liquid to the respective trays 2 to supply the liquid to the seedling pots 1 in the trays 2. In the cultivation device, the nutrient liquid 10 is supplied to the trays 2 via the liquid supply mechanism 4, and the water is supplied to the seedling pots 1 through the bottom surfaces via the trays 2. In the cultivation device, the trays 2 have translucency. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cultivation apparatus optimal for cultivation of strawberry seedlings.

An apparatus for efficiently cultivating strawberry seedlings has been developed. (See Patent Document 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus described in the publication of Patent Document 1 includes a long stilt nursery bed 91 and a long waterproof sheet 92 laid on the stilt nursery bed 91. A long water supply mat 93 laid on the waterproof sheet 92, a long root protection sheet 94 laid on the water supply mat 93, and a part of the root protection sheet 94. A rock wool medium 95 as a nutrient solution culture medium for the long parent strain of persimmon and disposed on the other part of the root-preventing sheet 94 and adjacent to the rock wool medium 95, Supplying the pumice grain layer 96 as a nutrient solution culture medium for long seedlings with pumice grains for cultivating growing seedlings, and a supply pipe arranged in the parent plant cultivation part 95 of the persimmon In addition, a liquid supply device capable of controlling fertilizer components is provided.

  The cultivation apparatus described in this gazette can engraft the child stock extended from the parent strain in the nutrient broth culture medium. The offspring cultivated in the nutrient broth culture medium is separated from the parent strain and planted in a seedling pot filled with a medium such as vermiculite. This seedling pot is placed on the nutrient broth culture medium and fed from the nutrient broth culture medium. In this state, the offspring are grown for several months. Thereafter, the child stock is taken out from the seedling pot and planted in a straw or a medium for growing strawberries.

  When seedlings are placed in seedling pots and grown on a seedling nutrient medium for several months, it is difficult to uniformly supply water to all seedling pots. In particular, since a large number of seedling pots are arranged in the nutrient solution culture medium for supplying water from the bottom, seedling pots that are not sufficiently supplied with water may be generated, and the culture medium may be overdried. A medium such as vermiculite in an overdried state has a strong water repellency and is not supplied with water. For this reason, it is difficult to uniformly supply water to all the seedling pots, and the cultivation apparatus for supplying water by arranging a large number of seedling pots on a layer containing moisture like a nutrient medium for offspring becomes overdried. The seedling pot has a drawback that it takes a lot of time and labor for maintenance management, such as supplying water from above.

  This inventor developed the seedling cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in order to solve the above fault (refer patent document 2). This cultivation apparatus stores a plurality of seedling pots 81 for cultivating seedlings, a plurality of seedling pots 81 arranged side by side in a horizontal plane, a tray 82 capable of adjusting the level of the nutrient solution supplied, and a plurality of trays 82. Are arranged horizontally, and a liquid supply mechanism 84 that supplies liquid to each tray 82 and supplies the seedling pot 81 in the tray 82 is provided. This cultivation apparatus supplies the nutrient solution to the tray 82 by the liquid supply mechanism 84 and supplies the seedling pot 81 with water from the bottom surface.

JP-A-10-33075 JP 2007-300878 A

  The cultivation apparatus of FIG. 2 has an advantage that a large number of seedlings can be efficiently cultivated by uniformly supplying water to a large number of seedling pots. This is because the above cultivation apparatus can store a plurality of seedling pots for cultivating seedlings in a horizontal plane and store them in a tray, supply nutrient solution to the trays, and supply all seedling pots to the bottom surface. In particular, the above cultivation apparatus stores the nutrient solution at a liquid level that can be supplied to the bottom of all the seedling pots, and supplies water from the bottom to all the seedling pots in a state where the bottom of the seedling pot is immersed in the nutrient solution. Furthermore, after the bottom surface water supply, the moisture level of the seedling pot can be controlled to be comfortable for the seedling by lowering the liquid level of the tray. Therefore, the above cultivation apparatus stores the nutrient solution so that it becomes the bottom surface water supply level on the tray, uniformly supplies the bottom surface water to many seedling pots, and drains the excess nutrient solution from the tray. By lowering the liquid level, it is easy and easy to grow a large number of seedlings efficiently.

  Although the cultivation apparatus of FIG. 2 has a feature that can efficiently cultivate a large number of seedlings, when a seedling pot is placed on a tray for several months and grown while supplying water to the bottom, the roots of the plants grown in the seedling pot become seedlings. There is a harmful effect of sticking to the surface of the tray by protruding from the water inlet of the pot. In particular, the cultivation device that feeds the nutrient solution to a large number of seedling pots has a nutrient solution suitable for plant cultivation below the seedling pot. There is a harmful effect that adheres strongly. If the roots protruding from the water supply port adhere strongly to the tray, the seedling pot cannot be easily picked up from the tray. This is because the roots are in a state where the seedling pot is connected to the tray, and the roots need to be peeled off from the surface of the tray. Moreover, since the roots adhering to the tray are forcibly separated from the tray, there is a problem that the roots are damaged.

  The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving the above-described drawbacks. An important object of the present invention is to prevent water from sticking to the tray by effectively preventing the roots of the plants from sticking to the tray while supplying water uniformly by supplying water to the bottom of a large number of seedling pots. An object of the present invention is to provide a seedling cultivation device that can efficiently remove a pot from a tray and efficiently cultivate a large number of seedlings.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  The seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of seedling pots 1 for cultivating seedlings having a water supply opening 1a on the bottom surface, and a plurality of seedling pots 1 arranged side by side in a horizontal plane and supplied with a nutrient solution. A tray 2 capable of adjusting the surface level, a support base 3 on which a plurality of trays 2 are horizontally arranged, a liquid supply mechanism 4 for supplying liquid to each tray 2 and supplying the seedling pot 1 in the tray 2; It has. The cultivation apparatus supplies the nutrient solution 10 to the tray 2 with the liquid supply mechanism 4, and supplies the bottom surface water to the seedling pot 1 with the tray 2. Furthermore, as for the cultivation apparatus, the tray 2 has translucency.

  The above seedling cultivation apparatus effectively prevents the roots of plants from protruding from each seedling pot and adhering to the tray while uniformly feeding water to the seedling pots by supplying water to the bottom of many seedling pots. In addition, a large number of seedling pots can be efficiently removed from the tray, and a large number of seedlings can be efficiently cultivated. That is, the above cultivation device adjusts the liquid level of the nutrient solution supplied to the seedling pot and the tray that feeds the bottom has translucency, so the light that passes through the tray is irradiated to the bottom of the seedling pot, This is because the root of the seedling can be prevented from growing out of the seedling pot. In particular, the cultivation device that controls the liquid level of the nutrient solution and feeds the bottom surface supplies the seedling pot with the nutrient solution downward from the bottom, so that the roots tend to extend from the bottom of the seedling pot to the outside. In the state of use, since the bottom of the seedling pot is brought close to the tray in order to efficiently supply water to the bottom surface, the roots extending from the bottom of the seedling pot to the outside tend to adhere to the surface of the tray. However, since the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention irradiates the bottom of the seedling pot with the light transmitted through the tray, it can effectively prevent the root of the seedling pot from growing from the bottom to the outside. Therefore, the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention has an extremely excellent feature that can reliably prevent the roots from extending outside while rapidly growing the roots in a preferable environment inside the seedling pot. In particular, the cultivation apparatus of the present invention allows the roots to grow from the seed pot to the outside without using a special sheet or the like to prevent the seed pots from sticking to the surface of the tray. Since it is inhibited by the light transmitted through the tray, it is possible to effectively use the light for growing the seedlings to prevent the root seedling pot from growing outside. For this reason, when removing a seedling pot from a tray, it has the characteristics which can be taken out from a tray easily and easily, and can be transplanted.

  In the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention, the tray 2 can be made of translucent plastic. This cultivating apparatus has a feature that it is possible to mass-produce a tray having translucency easily and at low cost.

The seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention has a control opening 6 in which the tray 2 can control the liquid level (L) of the nutrient solution 10 supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 4. The liquid level of the nutrient solution 10 supplied to 2 can be adjusted.
In the above cultivation apparatus, the tray has a control opening that can control the liquid level of the nutrient solution. Therefore, the liquid level of the nutrient solution stored in the tray can be easily adjusted by controlling the control opening. There are features.

In the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention, the control opening 6 of the tray 2 can include an adjustment gate 7 that can adjust the liquid level (L).
Since the above cultivation apparatus is provided with an adjustment gate that can adjust the liquid level in the control opening of the tray, the adjustment gate can be adjusted to easily control the liquid level of nutrient solution stored in the tray There is.

The seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention can include an open / close gate 8 that allows the control opening 6 of the tray 2 to be opened and closed.
Since the cultivation device described above is provided with an openable / closable gate at the control opening of the tray, the opening / closing of the open / close gate is controlled to easily switch the nutrient solution supplied to the tray between the storage state and the drainage state. it can.

In the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention, a pot holder 20 having a partition wall 21 for disposing the seedling pot 1 at a fixed position is disposed in the tray 2, and the seedling is placed inside the partition wall 21 of the pot holder 20. The pot 1 can be stored.
Since the above cultivation apparatus arrange | positions the pot holder which has the partition wall which arrange | positions a seedling pot in a fixed position in a tray, and stores a seedling pot in the inside of the partition wall of this pot holder, a some seedling It has the feature that pots can be arranged easily, easily and accurately.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the conventional seedling cultivation apparatus. It is a section perspective view of the cultivation device of the seedling which this inventor developed previously. It is a section perspective view of the cultivation device of the seedling concerning one example of the present invention. It is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of the seedling cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the seedling cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. 3. It is an expanded sectional view of the cultivation apparatus of the seedling shown in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a section perspective view showing an example of a tray provided with an adjustment gate. It is a cross-sectional perspective view which shows another example of a tray provided with an adjustment gate. It is a cross-sectional perspective view which shows another example of a tray provided with an adjustment gate. It is a section perspective view showing an example of a tray provided with an opening-and-closing gate. It is a cross-sectional perspective view which shows another example of a tray provided with an open / close gate.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the Example shown below illustrates the seedling cultivation apparatus for materializing the technical idea of this invention, and this invention does not specify the seedling cultivation apparatus to the following.

  Further, in this specification, in order to facilitate understanding of the scope of claims, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the examples are indicated in the “claims” and “means for solving problems” sections. It is added to the members. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments.

  The seedling cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 7 mounts a plurality of seedling pots 1 for cultivating seedlings, a tray 2 for storing a plurality of seedling pots 1 in a horizontal plane, and a plurality of trays 2 in a horizontal arrangement. A support base 3 and a liquid supply mechanism 4 for supplying liquid to each tray 2 and supplying liquid to the seedling pot 1 in the tray 2 are provided.

  The seedling pot 1 is a container for cultivating seedlings, and contains a culture medium 5 for cultivation therein. The seedling pot 1 is fed with a nutrient solution 10 from the bottom and grows seedlings planted in the medium 5. As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, the seedling pot 1 has a water supply port 1 a opened at the bottom in order to absorb the nutrient solution 10 from the bottom. The seedling pot 1 shown in the figure is formed by molding a plastic sheet into a container shape having an upper opening. Since this seedling pot 1 is inexpensive and light, it is most suitable for a cultivation apparatus for cultivating a large number of seedlings. However, the seedling pot is not necessarily formed of a plastic sheet, and can be formed of a hard or soft plastic into a container shape having a predetermined thickness, or can be formed of a sheet material such as a nonwoven fabric.

  The tray 2 is formed of plastic in a box shape with an upper opening having a peripheral wall 12 around the bottom surface. The tray 2 is formed of translucent plastic so that the seedling pot 1 placed thereon can be irradiated with light from the bottom surface. A translucent plastic is a plastic to which no pigment is added, and transmits visible light. The tray 2 is manufactured by integrally molding the whole with translucent plastic. In particular, the structure in which the tray is formed of a transparent plastic has a feature that the state inside the tray, the liquid level, etc. can be visually recognized from the outside. However, the tray does not necessarily need to be integrally formed of plastic as a whole, and the bottom plate can be made of translucent plastic or glass and a peripheral wall can be provided around it.

  The tray 2 includes a bottom plate 11 on which a plurality of seedling pots 1 are placed side by side on a horizontal plane, and a peripheral wall 12 is connected around the bottom plate 11 to form a box shape as a whole. The tray 2 has a space in which a plurality of seedling pots 1 can be stored side by side and a depth at which the nutrient solution 10 supplied to the seedling pot 1 can be stored. The tray 2 in this shape stores the nutrient solution 10 supplied from the liquid supply mechanism 4 at the bottom of the box-shaped tray 2, and the seedling pot in which the temporarily stored nutrient solution 10 is stored in the tray 2. Supply water from 1 to the bottom.

  The nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 is supplied to the culture medium 5 from the water supply port 1a of the seedling pot 1 and supplied to the seedlings. In this tray 2, the amount of nutrient solution supplied to the seedling pot 1 is determined by the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2. For example, when the nutrient solution level L in the tray 2 is high, the depth of the bottom of the seedling pot 1 immersed in the nutrient solution 10 becomes deep, and the amount of nutrient solution absorbed by the culture medium 5 increases. On the other hand, when the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 is lowered, the depth of the bottom of the seedling pot 1 immersed in the nutrient solution 10 becomes shallow, and the amount of nutrient solution absorbed by the culture medium 5 decreases. Therefore, the amount of nutrient solution supplied to the seedling pot 1 stored in the tray 2 can be adjusted by the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2. The tray 2 stores the supplied nutrient solution 10 to the bottom water supply level at which the seedling pot 1 can be supplied with water from the bottom surface. The bottom water supply level is the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the bottom of the tray 2 when the seedling pot 1 is supplied with the bottom water. The bottom water supply level can be 5 to 50%, preferably 10 to 40%, of the entire medium stored in the seedling pot 1. For example, when the culture medium 5 is stored in the seedling pot 1 at a depth of about 8 cm, the bottom surface water supply level is 0.5 to 4 cm, preferably 1 to 3 cm, from the bottom of the culture medium 5. Like that. However, the bottom water supply level is optimal in consideration of the number of seedling pots stored in the tray, the type of seedling, the amount and type of culture medium, the type and amount of nutrient solution supplied, the frequency of water supply, temperature, humidity, etc. Adjusted to a certain height.

  Further, the tray 2 is provided with a control opening 6 in the peripheral wall 12 in order to control the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 to be supplied. The tray 2 shown in the drawing has a control opening 6 that extends vertically in the center of one peripheral wall 12 that forms a rectangular short side. The control opening 6 is opened so that excess nutrient solution 10 can be quickly drained after the bottom surface water is supplied to the seedling pot 1. The control opening 6 opens the lower end edge of the opening close to the bottom surface of the tray 2 in order to drain the nutrient solution 10 supplied to the tray 2 to the outside. However, the control opening can also make the lower end edge of an opening part a little higher position than the bottom face of a tray. The height of the control opening 6 from the bottom surface of the tray 2 to the lower edge of the opening is, for example, 0 to 2 cm, preferably 0 to 1 cm. The control opening 6 can have a lower end edge of the opening having a height substantially equal to the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1 accommodated in the tray 2, slightly lower, or slightly higher.

  The cultivation apparatus sets the control opening 6 of the tray 2 in a state in which the nutrient solution 10 can be stored at the bottom surface water supply level that can supply the seedling pot 1 accommodated in the tray 2 from the bottom surface, and the nutrient solution 10 is stored in the tray 2 by the solution supply mechanism 4. 10 is supplied and the seedling pot 1 is supplied with water from the bottom. In addition, the cultivation apparatus supplies water to the seedling pot 1 in the tray 2 from the bottom, and the control opening 6 is set in a state in which the nutrient solution 10 can be drained from the tray 2, that is, the control opening 6 is opened to remove excess nutrients. Drain the liquid from the tray 2. The tray 2 has an adjustment gate that can adjust the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 in the control opening 6 in order to store the nutrient solution 10 at the bottom water supply level, or an open / close gate that can be opened and closed. The control opening 6 is provided.

  8 to 10 show the adjustment gate 7 for adjusting the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2. The adjustment gate 7 shown in these drawings is provided with a gate plate 30 that moves along the peripheral wall 12 at a position facing the control opening 6. The gate plate 30 slides along the control opening 6 provided in the peripheral wall 12 to close or partially open the control opening 6 opened in the peripheral wall 12. These gate plates 30 are provided with opening portions 31 in order to partially open the control openings 6. The open part 31 shown in these drawings is a through hole provided in the gate plate 30 so as to open. The adjustment gate 7 slides the gate plate 30 to shift the position of the opening 31 with respect to the control opening 6 so that the opening position at which the control opening 6 is partially opened can be changed. However, the open portion does not necessarily have to be a through hole, and can be a recess provided in the gate plate. Alternatively, the gate plate can determine the opening position of the control opening by using the edge of the sliding gate plate as an open portion without providing a through hole or a recess.

  The control opening 6 whose opening position is specified by the opening portion 31 of the gate plate 30 and partially opened becomes the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 in which the lower end edge of the opening portion 31 is stored. When the liquid level L becomes higher than the lower edge, the nutrient solution 10 supplied beyond the lower edge overflows the open portion 31 and is drained from the control opening 6 to the outside of the tray 2. Therefore, the adjustment gate 7 determines the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 according to the position of the lower end edge of the opening 31 provided on the gate plate 30. The opening position of the control opening 6 is adjusted so that the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 is at the bottom water supply level.

  The adjustment gate 7 shown in FIG. 8 includes a gate plate 30 that can slide up and down with respect to the peripheral wall 12. The peripheral wall 12 includes guide portions 32 that guide both side portions of the gate plate 30 along both side edges of the control opening 6 in order to slide the gate plate 30 up and down along the control opening 6. The guide portion 32 has a groove 33 for guiding a side edge portion of the gate plate 30 formed inside, and the gate plate 30 can be slid along the groove 33. Further, the gate plate 30 is provided with a through-hole that is an open portion 31 at the center. Furthermore, the gate plate 30 is provided with a knob portion 34 for manual operation at the upper end portion. The gate plate 30 is made of a flexible metal plate or a plastic plate, and its lower end is curved along the bottom plate 11 from the peripheral wall 12. The adjustment gate 7 having this structure raises the gate plate 30 to close the control opening 6 and prohibits drainage from the control opening 6, and lowers the gate plate 30 from the closed state to open the opening 31. The liquid level is adjusted by moving the position downward, and the gate plate 30 is lowered until the lower end edge of the opening 31 is at the same height as the lower end edge of the control opening 6. To an open state where the water can be drained.

  The adjustment gate 7 shown in FIG. 9 includes a gate plate 30 that can slide in the horizontal direction with respect to the peripheral wall 12. The peripheral wall 12 includes a guide portion 32 that guides the upper and lower ends of the gate plate 30 along the upper and lower sides of the gate plate 30 in order to move the gate plate 30 left and right. The guide portion 32 is formed with a groove 33 for guiding the upper and lower end portions of the gate plate 30 on the inner side, and the gate plate 30 can be slid along the groove 33. Further, the gate plate 30 is provided with a through-hole that is an open portion 31 at the center. The open part 31 shown in the figure has a lower edge as an inclined edge 31a inclined in the horizontal direction, and the gate plate 30 is slid in the horizontal direction so that the open position of the control opening 6 can be adjusted up and down. . The adjustment gate 7 having this structure moves the gate plate 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, prohibits drainage from the control opening 6 as a closed state in which the side of the gate plate 30 closes the control opening 6, and closes the state. Then, the gate plate 30 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B, and the opening position of the control opening 6 is moved downward along the inclined edge 31a of the opening 31 to adjust the liquid level. The gate plate 30 is moved until the opening position is at the same height as the lower edge of the control opening 6, so that an excess nutrient solution can be drained from the tray 2. The gate plate 30 has an inclined edge 31a that linearly changes the lower end edge of the open portion 31, but the gate plate can also be adjusted stepwise by setting the lower end edge of the open portion stepwise. .

  Further, the adjustment gate 7 shown in FIG. 10 includes a gate plate 30 that rotates along the peripheral wall 12. The gate plate 30 is connected to the peripheral wall 12 via a rotation shaft 35 and rotates along the peripheral wall 12 to change the opening position of the control opening 6. The peripheral wall 12 opens the control opening 6 in an arc shape with the rotation shaft 35 as the center. The arc-shaped control opening 6 opens with the lower end edge approaching the bottom surface of the tray 2. Further, the gate plate 30 is provided with a through hole that is an open portion 31 at a position facing the control opening 6. Furthermore, the gate plate 30 is provided with a handle 36 that is manually operated to rotate. The adjustment gate 7 having this structure changes the opening position of the control opening 6 by rotating the gate plate 30 and moving the position of the opening 31 along the control opening 6. The adjustment gate 7 is placed in a position different from the control opening 6, the gate plate 30 closes the control opening 6, prohibits drainage from the control opening 6, rotates the gate plate 30, and opens. The portion 31 is moved along the control opening 6 to adjust the liquid level, and further, the gate plate 30 is rotated until the lower end edge of the opening portion 31 is flush with the lower end edge of the control opening 6. To open the excess nutrient solution.

  8 to 10, the gate plate 30 is provided on the inner surface side of the peripheral wall 12, but the gate plate may be provided on the outer surface side of the peripheral wall. This adjustment gate can adjust the liquid level by operating the gate plate while preventing the hand from touching the nutrient solution. Although not shown, the adjustment gate can use any other mechanism that can adjust the level of the nutrient solution stored in the tray by adjusting the opening position of the control opening.

  As described above, the tray 2 including the adjustment gate 7 can adjust the position of the gate plate 30 to adjust the opening position of the control opening 6, so that the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 is optimal. There is a feature that the bottom surface water supply level can be freely changed by adjusting to a certain height. These trays 2 overflow and drain when the level L of the supplied nutrient solution 10 becomes higher than the lower end edge of the opening 31 of the adjustment gate 7, so that the nutrient solution 10 is stored more than the adjusted height. It will never be done. Therefore, there is a feature that the bottom surface water supply level is always kept constant without adjusting the amount of liquid supplied by the liquid supply mechanism 4 so that the bottom surface water can be supplied uniformly.

  However, the tray does not necessarily have a structure in which the opening position of the control opening can be adjusted. The tray can also be provided with an open / close gate that can be opened and closed at the control opening. 11 and 12 show an open / close gate 8 that opens and closes the control opening 6. In the open / close gate 8 shown in these drawings, a gate plate 30 is disposed at a position facing the control opening 6. The gate plate 30 is moved to a closed position for closing the control opening 6 and an open position for opening the control opening 6 to open and close the control opening 6. The open / close gate 8 is in a closed state in which the control opening 6 is closed by the gate plate 30 and prevents the nutrient solution 10 from being drained from the control opening 6 so that the nutrient solution 10 can be stored in the tray 2. . In this state, the nutrient solution 10 is supplied from the fluid supply mechanism 4 to the tray 2, and the nutrient solution 10 is stored in the tray 2 to a predetermined bottom surface water supply level. These trays 2 keep the open / close gate 8 closed, limit the amount of nutrient solution supplied from the fluid supply mechanism 4, and store the nutrient solution 10 to a bottom surface water supply level as a predetermined liquid level. Moreover, after supplying water to the seedling pot 1, the open / close gate 8 is opened, and the excess nutrient solution 10 is quickly drained.

  The open / close gate 8 shown in FIG. 11 includes a gate plate 30 that can slide up and down with respect to the peripheral wall 12. The peripheral wall 12 includes guide portions 32 that guide both side portions of the gate plate 30 along both side edges of the control opening 6 in order to slide the gate plate 30 up and down along the control opening 6. The guide portion 32 has a groove 33 for guiding a side edge portion of the gate plate 30 formed inside, and the gate plate 30 can be slid along the groove 33. Further, the gate plate 30 is provided with a knob portion 34 for manual operation at the upper end portion. The open / close gate 8 having this structure lowers the gate plate 30 to close the control opening 6 and raises the gate plate 30 to open the control opening 6. The open / close gate 8 shown in the figure has a structure in which the gate plate 30 is slid in the vertical direction. However, the open / close gate can be moved between the closed position and the open position as a structure in which the gate plate can be slid in the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, the open / close gate 8 shown in FIG. 12 includes a gate plate 30 that is connected to the peripheral wall 12 so that one end thereof can be rotated. The gate plate 30 is connected to the peripheral wall 12 on one side via a rotation shaft 37. The gate plate 30 shown in the figure is connected to the peripheral wall 12 so that it can be rotated in a horizontal plane, but the gate plate may be connected to the peripheral wall so that it can be rotated in a vertical plane. it can. Furthermore, the gate plate 30 is provided with a locking member 38 that holds the gate plate 30 in the closed position at the end opposite to the rotating shaft 37. The locking tool 38 shown in the figure includes a hook portion 38A that rotates and a locking portion 38B that locks the hook portion 38A. The open / close gate 8 holds the gate plate 30 in a closed state by locking the locking member 38 in a state where the control opening 6 is closed by the gate plate 30. Moreover, the gate plate 30 is set to the open position so that the gate plate 30 can be rotated by releasing the locked state of the locking tool 38. In this state, the nutrient solution in the tray 2 is drained.
Further, although not shown, the opening / closing gate can use any other mechanism that can open and close the control opening.

  The tray 2 described above is provided with one control opening 6 in the peripheral wall 12, but the tray may be provided with a plurality of control openings in one peripheral wall. In particular, the plurality of control openings can change the position of the lower end edge of the opening to select the control opening to be opened and change the bottom surface water supply level and the drainage level for draining the nutrient solution.

  Further, the tray 2 shown in the above figures is provided with a drain hole 13 in the peripheral wall 12 for overflowing and draining the nutrient solution 10 stored exceeding a predetermined level. The tray 2 shown in the figure is provided with a plurality of drain holes 13 opened on the peripheral wall 12 of the four surrounding surfaces. The plurality of drain holes 13 are opened such that the lower end edge of the opening is at the same level, and the liquid level L of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2 is higher than the lower end edge of the opening of the drain hole 13. When it becomes higher, it overflows and drains outside the tray 2. The height of the lower end edge of the drain hole 13 is the highest level of the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2. The height of the lower end edge of the drain hole 13 can be set to, for example, 2 to 5 cm, preferably 2 to 3 cm with respect to the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1 stored in the tray 2. Thus, the tray 2 provided with the drainage hole 13 can reliably prevent the nutrient solution from being excessively stored beyond the bottom surface water supply level.

  Furthermore, the tray 2 shown in the figure has a translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 laid on the bottom surface, and the seedling pot 1 is disposed on the translucent water-absorbing sheet 9. The translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 sucks and stores the supplied nutrient solution 10 and supplies the culture medium 5 with water from the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1 disposed thereon. Therefore, the translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 has water absorbency for absorbing the nutrient solution 10 supplied to the tray 2 and water retention for storing the absorbed nutrient solution 10. Furthermore, the translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 is a translucent sheet that transmits light. This is because the light transmitted through the bottom plate 11 of the tray 2 is transmitted through the translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 to irradiate the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1. That is, the translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 transmits the light transmitted through the bottom plate 11 of the tray 2 and irradiates the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1. The above light-transmitting water-absorbing sheet 9 is, for example, non-woven fabric, cloth, plastic foam having open cells, filter paper, etc. in consideration of water absorption, water retention, and translucency. Use things. The translucent water-absorbing sheet 9 can use these sheet materials independently, or can laminate them. However, the cultivation apparatus does not necessarily need to lay a translucent water absorbent sheet on the bottom surface of the tray, and the translucent water absorbent sheet can be omitted. This cultivation apparatus can directly irradiate the bottom surface of the seedling pot with light that passes through the bottom plate of the tray.

  Furthermore, the cultivation apparatus shown in the figure includes a pot holder 20 that arranges a plurality of seedling pots 1 in a fixed position in the tray 2. The pot holder 20 has a partition wall 21 that partitions a plurality of seedling pots 1. In the pot holder 20 shown in the figure, partition walls 21 are arranged in a lattice pattern inside a rectangular outer peripheral wall 22. Furthermore, the pot holder 20 includes a holding portion 23 that holds the side surface of the seedling pot 1 at a position facing the four surfaces of the seedling pot 1. In the pot holder 20, the upper ends of these holding portions 23 are connected to the lower ends of the partition wall 21 or the outer peripheral wall 22, and the lower ends of the holding portions 23 are connected by a support portion 24 that supports the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1. . This pot holder 20 is provided with a partition wall 21 and a holding part 23 between each seedling pot 1 in order to partition a plurality of seedling pots 1, but the nutrient solution 10 supplied to the tray 2 is used as the seedling pot 1. An opening 25 is provided between the holding portions 23 and the support portion 24 so that the bottom surface can be supplied with water. The pot holder 20 is integrally formed of plastic, for example.

  As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, the pot holder 20 having the above structure allows the nutrient solution 10 to be supplied to pass through the opening portion 25 of the holding portion 23 and the support portion 24, and to the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1. Water can be supplied to the culture medium 5 from the opened water supply port 1a. As described above, the structure in which the plurality of seedling pots 1 are arranged via the pot holder 20 having the partition wall 21 has a feature that the plurality of seedling pots 1 can be arranged easily, easily and accurately. The cultivation apparatus that can arrange a plurality of seedling pots 1 accurately has the feature that each seedling pot 1 can be uniformly supplied to the bottom surface because each seedling pot 1 can be arranged at a predetermined position.

  The support 3 places a plurality of trays 2 side by side horizontally. The support 3 transmits light from the outside to the bottom plate 11 of the tray 2 and irradiates the bottom surface of the seedling pot 1 with the plurality of trays 2 away from the ground, that is, the plurality of trays 2. Are arranged at a predetermined height. The support base 3 shown in the figure is a pipe 3A disposed horizontally. The support base 3 shown in the figure has two metal pipes 3A arranged in parallel to each other and extending in the horizontal direction so that a plurality of trays 2 can be placed vertically. However, metal rods such as angles and C-shaped steel can also be used for the support base. The above support bases 3 are arranged in a greenhouse such as a vinyl house so that a plurality of trays 2 are arranged vertically and arranged in a plurality of rows so that a gap can be formed between the adjacent trays 2 so that an operator can move between them. Arranged in parallel. In particular, the structure in which a gap is provided between adjacent trays 2 allows light to surely enter the bottom surface side of the trays 2 in each column and irradiate the bottom surfaces of all trays.

  Furthermore, the cultivation apparatus can also arrange | position the reinforcement member 14 which supports the baseplate 11 of the tray 2 between the pipe 3A which is the support stand 3, and the tray 2, as shown with the chain line of FIG. The reinforcing member 14 may have a structure having a gap through which light can pass so that the lower surface of the tray 2 can be irradiated with light. The reinforcing member 14 shown in the figure is a frame material in which metal rods are connected vertically and horizontally. However, for the reinforcing member, an extended metal, a metal net, a lattice, or the like can be used. The cultivation apparatus that supports the tray 2 via the reinforcing member 14 having the above structure can more stably support the tray 2 placed on the upper surface while irradiating light on the bottom surface side of the tray 2.

  The liquid supply mechanism 4 supplies a nutrient solution 10 containing fertilizer to each tray 2 and supplies the seedling pot 1 in the tray 2 with the nutrient solution 10. The liquid supply mechanism 4 shown in the drawing includes a supply pipe 17 that is piped along the support base 3 and a water supply pipe 18 that is branched from the supply pipe 17. The liquid supply mechanism 4 supplies the nutrient solution 10 supplied from a water supply device (not shown) to each tray 2 from a supply pipe 17 via a water supply pipe 18. The water supply pipe 18 shown in the figure is a flexible plastic or metal pipe. As described above, the structure of supplying water via the flexible water supply pipe 18 has a feature that the water supply position to the tray 2 can be finely adjusted to reliably supply water to the optimum position. However, it is not always necessary for the liquid supply mechanism to supply water to each tray via the water supply pipe. A supply pipe is provided above the tray, and a water supply port is opened in the supply pipe. Can also be supplied.

  The cultivation apparatus shown in the figure supplies a nutrient solution 10 by disposing a water supply pipe 18 in the vicinity of the peripheral wall 12 located on the opposite side of the peripheral wall 12 provided with the control opening 6. Since the cultivation apparatus of this structure drains the nutrient solution 10 supplied from the water supply pipe 18 from the control opening 6 provided on the side opposite to the supply unit, the nutrient solution 10 supplied to the tray 2 is discharged from the supply side. Can drain while flowing to the side. Therefore, there is a feature that the new nutrient solution 10 can be uniformly supplied to the entire tray 2 to supply the bottom surface without partially stagnating the nutrient solution 10 stored in the tray 2. However, the tray can also open a control opening on the peripheral walls facing each other. For example, the tray having this structure can be drained while supplying water to the center and flowing from the supply side to the discharge side.

  Further, the cultivation apparatus shown in the figure includes a drainage tub 16 that receives the nutrient solution 10 discharged from the control opening 6 below the tray 2. The drainage basin 16 has a shape that opens upward and extends in the vertical direction. The drainage basin 16 is manufactured, for example, by bending both sides of a metal plate upward. Further, the drainage basin 16 can be extended in length by connecting a plurality of metal plates formed by bending both side portions. The drainage basin 16 receives and drains the nutrient solution 10 drained and flowing down from the control opening 6 of the tray 2 so as not to spill on the ground. Therefore, the drain 16 is disposed below the tray 2 and at a position facing the control opening 6. The drainage basin 16 can be smoothly drained by inclining the entire bottom surface to a downward slope.

  In the cultivation apparatus described above, irradiated sunlight passes through the bottom plate 11 of the tray 2 having translucency, and enters the bottom side of the plurality of seedling pots 1 placed on the tray 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the seedling pot 1 placed on the tray 2 is irradiated with light that passes through the bottom plate 11 of the tray 2 on the bottom. In general, plant roots have the property of hating light. For this reason, the seedlings planted in the seedling pot 1 whose bottom is irradiated with light are effectively suppressed from growing with the roots extending from the water supply port 1a to the outside. For this reason, the seedling cultivation apparatus of the present invention effectively prevents the roots from extending from the bottom of the seedling pot to the outside while controlling the liquid level of the nutrient solution and ideally watering the bottom surface. When removing the pot from the tray, it can be removed easily, easily and smoothly.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Seedling pot 1a ... Water supply port 2 ... Tray 3 ... Support stand 3A ... Pipe 4 ... Liquid supply mechanism 5 ... Medium 6 ... Control opening 7 ... Adjustment gate 8 ... Opening / closing gate 9 ... Translucent water absorption sheet 10 ... Nutrient solution 11 ... bottom plate 12 ... peripheral wall 13 ... drainage hole 14 ... reinforcing member 16 ... drainage trough 17 ... supply pipe 18 ... water supply pipe 20 ... pot holder 21 ... partition wall 22 ... outer peripheral wall 23 ... holding part 24 ... support part 25 ... opening 30 ... Gate plate 31 ... Open part 31a ... Inclined edge 32 ... Guide part 33 ... Groove 34 ... Knob part 35 ... Rotating shaft 36 ... Handle 37 ... Rotating shaft 38 ... Locking tool 38A ... Hook part
38B ... Locking part 81 ... Seedling pot 82 ... Tray 83 ... Seedling bed 84 ... Feeding mechanism 91 ... Seedling bed 92 ... Waterproof sheet 93 ... Water supply mat 94 ... Root prevention sheet 95 ... Rock wool medium 96 ... Pumice grain layer

Claims (6)

  Multiple seedling pots (1) for cultivating seedlings that open the water supply opening (1a) on the bottom and multiple seedling pots (1) are stored in a horizontal plane and the level of nutrient solution supplied is adjusted Tray (2), a support base (3) for placing a plurality of trays (2) horizontally, and feeding each tray (2) to the seedling pot (1) in the tray (2). A liquid supply mechanism (4) for supplying liquid, supplying the nutrient solution (10) to the tray (2) with the liquid supply mechanism (4), and supplying the seedling pot (1) with the tray (2). A seedling cultivation apparatus configured to supply water to a bottom surface, wherein the tray (2) has translucency.   The seedling cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray (2) is made of translucent plastic.   The tray (2) has a control opening (6) that can control the liquid level (L) of the nutrient solution (10) supplied from the liquid supply mechanism (4). With this control opening (6) The seedling cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the level of the nutrient solution (10) supplied to the tray (2) is adjusted.   The seedling cultivation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control opening (6) of the tray (2) includes an adjustment gate (7) capable of adjusting a liquid level (L).   The seedling cultivation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control opening (6) of the tray (2) is provided with an openable / closable gate (8).   In the tray (2), a pot holder (20) having a partition wall (21) for arranging the seedling pot (1) at a fixed position is disposed, and the partition wall (21) of the pot holder (20) The seedling cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the seedling pot (1) is housed in the inside.

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