JP2023023146A - Seedling pot - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a seedling pot mixed with an inorganic material containing three fertilizer elements in a resin and capable of solving the difficulty of uniform mixing caused by low compatibility with the resin and the problem of non-elution of a fertilizer buried in the resin into soil while a fertilizer exposed to a pot surface is eluted into the soil.SOLUTION: A resin is mixed with a soybean curd refuse during soybean curd production. As the soybean curd refuse has good compatibility with the resin since it contains an oil content such as soybean oil, a resin molding having the resin and the soybean curd refuse uniformly mixed can be produced by producing a pellet having the resin and the soybean curd refuse mixed and forming a desired shape by using the pellet. When a plant is grown by using the seedling pot mixed with the soybean curd refuse, fertilizer elements elute, and the frequency of fertilizer application can be reduced. Further, as the mixing with the soybean curd refuse enhances water absorption and hygroscopic property of the resin, moisture easily enters the seedling pot, and the fertilizer elements also elute from the soybean curd refuse buried in the resin.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to the use of bean curd refuse kneaded resin in which bean curd refuse is kneaded with resin for raising seedlings, and particularly to a seedling pot containing such bean curd refuse kneaded resin.

Currently, most of the okara produced in the tofu manufacturing process is disposed of as waste. However, since okara contains the protein, dietary fiber, and lipids contained in soybeans as well as minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, some of it is recycled as food, fertilizer, and feed.

On the other hand, in agriculture and horticulture, soil is placed in seedling pots, seeds are sown, water is applied, and fertilizers are added as necessary. Raise seedlings.

However, after the plants are removed from the seedling pots together with the leaf mulch when repotting, the remaining pots are disposed of and incinerated. From the standpoint of environmental conservation, there is a need to reduce the amount of plastic used.

In addition, when raising seedlings, it is necessary to apply fertilizer periodically to assist the growth of plants, and there is a demand for a raising seedling pot that can simplify the labor required for applying fertilizer.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, an inorganic material containing three fertilizer elements such as nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium is kneaded with resin, and these fertilizers are eluted into the soil during growth, thereby promoting the growth of crops. is proposed.

Further, Patent Document 2 proposes a seedling-raising pot having a slow-decomposing layer made of a resin containing a resin not mixed with a fertilizer outside a resin layer mixed with a fertilizer. As a result, the fertilizer is eluted into the soil from the resin layer containing the fertilizer when the seedling is raised, and the growth of the plant can be promoted.

JP-A-11-113414 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-190158

However, in the seedling pots disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above, in which an inorganic material containing the three fertilizer elements is kneaded into a resin, the compatibility with the resin is low, and uniform kneading is difficult. In addition, there is a problem that the fertilizer exposed on the surface of the pot is eluted into the soil, but the fertilizer buried in the resin is not eluted into the soil. In addition, especially in the case of biodegradable resins, there is concern about a decrease in strength due to a decrease in molecular weight.

The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and kneads the bean curd lees generated in the manufacturing process of tofu into a resin. Since okara contains oils such as soybean oil, it has good compatibility with resin. It becomes possible to manufacture a resin molded article in which the tofu and okara are uniformly kneaded.

In addition, as shown in Table 1, when okara is suspended in water, fertilizer components such as potassium and phosphoric acid are eluted. It can be eluted and the frequency of fertilization can be reduced. By kneading the bean curd refuse, the water absorbency and hygroscopicity of the resin are also improved, so that moisture easily penetrates into the inside of the seedling pot, and the fertilizer is eluted from the bean curd refuse buried in the resin.

In one aspect, the present invention makes it possible to raise seedlings using bean curd refuse kneaded resin obtained by heat-melting and kneading bean curd refuse and resin. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for raising seedlings containing a kneaded bean curd refuse resin. In one embodiment, a pot for raising seedlings is provided which is formed from a kneaded bean curd refuse resin obtained by heating and melting and kneading bean curd refuse and a resin, and the total weight ratio of the bean curd refuse and the resin in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin is 80% by weight. % or more, and the seedling-raising pot is for putting potting soil and growing a plant for a predetermined period. Further, when 1 g of the seedling pot is immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the distilled water has a potassium ion concentration of 1 mg/L or more and a phosphate ion concentration of 0.1 mg/L or more. . In another aspect, the resin is mainly composed of one or more selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, polylactic acid, and polybutylene succinate. In another aspect, the okara is characterized by containing 1% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less of oil. In another aspect, the weight ratio of bean curd refuse in the seedling pot is 10% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less. In another aspect, the total weight ratio of the bean curd refuse and the resin in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin is 90% by weight or more. In another aspect, the okara and resin in the seedling pot do not separate. In still another aspect, there is provided a solid fertilizer molded from bean curd refuse kneaded resin obtained by heat-melting and kneading bean curd refuse and resin, wherein the total weight ratio of the bean curd refuse and the resin in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin is 80 wt. % or more, and when the solid fertilizer is immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25 ° C. for 1 hour, the potassium ion concentration in the distilled water is 1 mg / L or more and the phosphate ion concentration is 0.1 mg / L or more. Potassium ions, phosphate ions, and the like that are more eluted promote the growth of plants.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to raise seedlings using bean curd refuse kneaded resin containing bean curd refuse and resin. This bean curd refuse kneaded resin is produced by heat-melting and kneading a mixture containing bean curd refuse and resin. The present invention also provides a seedling pot in which the total weight ratio of bean curd refuse and resin is 80% by weight or more.

Okara contains oil, and when it is kneaded with resin, the fertilizer is eluted into the soil when the seedlings are raised. This increases the concentration of potassium ions and phosphate ions, especially in the soil. This promotes plant growth.

In addition, highly hydrophilic components such as carbohydrates and proteins contained in bean curd refuse are inherently difficult to uniformly knead with hydrophobic resins. However, since the oil contained in bean curd refuse improves the compatibility with the resin, the bean curd refuse and the resin can be kneaded into a kneaded product without peeling without adding a compatibilizer or the like. Furthermore, since the compatibility between bean curd refuse and resin is high, the bean curd refuse and resin are firmly adhered, and the strength and rigidity of the molded product are improved.

As described above, the okara kneaded raising seedling pot of the present invention can promote the growth of plants by eluting the fertilizer components into the soil while maintaining the strength required for the raising seedling pot.

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing kneading of bean curd refuse and resin, air cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin discharged from a kneader, and cutting of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by a pelletizer. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing kneading of bean curd refuse and resin, cooling by water cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin discharged from a kneader, and cutting of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by a pelletizer. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing kneading of bean curd refuse and resin, cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin discharged from a kneader by contact with a cooling block, and cutting of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by a pelletizer. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing production of a nursery pot using okara kneaded resin pellets. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the dimensions of a seedling pot manufactured by injection molding using kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellets.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The embodiments described below describe examples of preferred embodiments of the invention, and do not limit the constituent elements of the invention described in the claims. Any weight percentages described herein may be on a wet weight or dry weight basis, as appropriate.

(Raising seedlings with okara kneaded resin)
The inventors have found that the okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure is suitable for raising seedlings. As used herein, the term "raising seedlings" refers to promoting the health and growth of plants, such as promoting germination, promoting growth (increase in weight, height, etc.), preventing withering, and enlarging fruits. A "plant" herein can be any organism that performs photosynthesis, including algae, microalgae, and the like. For example, plants can be classified into bryophytes, fern plants, seed plants, arboreal plants, herbaceous plants, monocotyledonous plants, dicotyledonous plants, and the like. Agricultural plants having edible parts, ornamental plants, and the like can be suitable targets for application of the okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure.

The okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure may or may not come into direct contact with plants. Nutrients derived from the kneaded bean curd refuse resin can reach plants through soil and water, so a seedling-raising effect can be obtained without direct contact. The okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure is preferably used in the presence of steam or water, since nutrients in the okara kneaded resin can be delivered to the outside via water. In one embodiment, the kneaded resin of the present disclosure is used together with potting soil. In one embodiment, the okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure is used by soaking in water.

(Form of okara kneaded resin)
The okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure may be present alone, may be present in a composition in a raw state, or may be present in a processed molded article. Okara kneaded resin refers to both unprocessed and processed ones. Therefore, any description regarding the bean curd refuse kneaded resin in this specification can also be applied to the bean curd refuse kneaded resin in the molded article. In the present specification, an article obtained by processing using a kneaded bean curd refuse resin or a kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellet as a material or a part of a material is referred to as a molded article. The kneaded bean curd refuse resin itself can be used as a solid fertilizer for raising seedlings, and the molded product of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin can also be used for raising seedlings. The composition containing bean curd refuse kneaded resin may be a composition made of bean curd refuse kneaded resin, The composition may contain 70% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more by weight. A composition containing a kneaded bean curd refuse resin also includes molded articles of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin. In one embodiment, the composition comprising the okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure is dry.

A molded product of the mixed resin of bean curd refuse refers to a molded product processed using the mixed resin of bean curd refuse as at least a part of the material. Plasticizers (adipates, polyesters, phosphate esters, epoxidized vegetable oils, etc.), flame retardants (phosphates, etc.), fillers (talc, carbonic acid, etc.) calcium, calcium sulfate, calcium silicate, etc.). The additional components that the bean curd refuse kneaded resin described in the lower part of this specification may contain may be added when forming a molded product from the bean curd refuse mixed resin, and the molded product may contain these additional components. The weight ratio of the bean curd refuse kneaded resin in the molded article of bean curd refuse kneaded resin can be 5% or more, 10% or more, 30% or more, 50% or more, 70% or more, 90% or more, or 95% or more.

In a preferred embodiment, the molded product of kneaded bean curd refuse resin may be in the form of a seedling pot that can accommodate potting soil therein. The seedling pots may be perforated so that water retention can be adjusted.

The okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure or compositions (eg, molded articles) containing the same may release components useful for raising seedlings. In one embodiment, when 1 g of the okara kneaded resin of the present disclosure or the composition containing the same is immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the potassium ion concentration in distilled water is 1 mg/L or more and/or phosphoric acid The ion concentration becomes 0.1 mg/L or more.

Also, from the viewpoint of the strength required for the seedling pot, a seedling pot that combines two or more kinds of okara kneaded resins is also conceivable. In this embodiment, for example, the main body of the seedling pot is molded with a fast-degrading bean curd refuse kneaded resin (for example, polybutylene succinate-containing bean curd refuse kneaded resin) to supplement the strength of the seedling pot and / or adjust the external shape of the seedling pot. A reinforcing material for maintaining the shape is separately molded with a slowly decomposing bean curd refuse kneaded resin (for example, a polypropylene-containing bean curd refuse kneaded resin). By combining the separately molded parts in this way, it is possible to obtain a seedling pot that promotes the growth of plants and has excellent durability and weather resistance.

In yet another embodiment, products in which multiple seedling pots are connected are also envisioned. Examples thereof include 16 consecutive seedling pots, 20 consecutive seedling pots, and 25 consecutive seedling pots in which seedling pots are arranged and connected in a manner of 4×4, 4×5, and 5×5. The connected nursery pots can also be of any type compatible with automation in the agricultural field.

Furthermore, by processing okara, which is inherently prone to putrefaction, into okara kneaded resin, a solid fertilizer that is sanitary and easy to handle is provided. Such solid fertilizers can also be used, for example, as solid plant nutrients suitable for growing foliage plants indoors.

(Properties of resin and okara to be kneaded)
(resin material)
The type of resin to be kneaded with okara is preferably polypropylene, polyethylene, polylactic acid, or polybutylene succinate having a melting point of 220° C. or lower. A plurality of types of these resins may be mixed. Resins with particularly similar solubility parameters (eg, polypropylene and polyethylene, polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate) are preferred due to their ease of mixing. Examples of the mixed resin of the present invention include a resin containing polybutylene succinate and polylactic acid or a resin containing polypropylene and polyethylene. The weight ratio of each resin in the mixed resin can be arbitrary, but in one embodiment, the mixed resin in the present invention is polybutylene succinate and polylactic acid, or polypropylene and polyethylene. and from 99:1 to 1:99. It is envisaged to blend the relatively hard, low impact strength polylactic acid with the soft resin polybutylene succinate to improve the impact strength without losing the biodegradability of the resulting kneaded resin. On the other hand, a resin having a melting point exceeding 220° C. is not suitable because thermal decomposition of bean curd refuse during melt-kneading is remarkable. In this specification, when a resin is "mainly composed of" a certain component, it means that the weight ratio of the component in the resin is 70% by weight or more.

(Kneading ratio of okara)
Okara is a residue left after squeezing soymilk in the process of producing tofu from soybeans, and it is generated in large quantities in the process of producing tofu. The kneading ratio of bean curd refuse in the nursery pot and/or bean curd refuse kneading resin of the present invention is calculated by the following formula 1. R, W1 and W2 in Formula 1 represent the kneading ratio (% by weight) of bean curd refuse, the absolute dry weight (kg) of kneaded bean curd refuse, and the absolute dry weight (kg) of resin, respectively.

Further, the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse in the seedling pot and/or bean curd refuse kneading resin is preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 25% by weight or more, and most preferably 30% by weight or more. If the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse is less than 10% by weight, the amount of fertilizer eluted from bean curd refuse is small, and there is a concern that no significant difference in plant growth is observed. If the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse is increased, the resin is likely to separate from the resin after heat-melt kneading, and it is difficult to knead uniformly. In the present invention, various conditions described below were examined. As a result, even when 10% by weight or more, 25% by weight or more, or 30% by weight or more of bean curd refuse is kneaded, the bean curd refuse and the resin do not separate and/or are suitable for commercialization of molded products. A kneaded resin or kneaded resin pellets having a high degree of uniformity could be obtained.

In addition, when the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse in the seedling pot and/or the bean curd refuse kneading resin is more than 70% by weight, the moldability is poor and the bean curd refuse is easily peeled off. difficult to use for general purposes. Therefore, the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin can be 70% by weight or less, preferably 60% by weight or less, and more preferably 51% by weight or less. The kneading ratio of bean curd refuse in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin of the present invention can be in a numerical range between any one lower limit numerical value in the above paragraph and any one upper limit numerical value described in this paragraph.

(Total weight ratio of okara and resin)
The present invention provides a resin kneaded with bean curd refuse and a molded product (for example, a pot for raising seedlings) that does not separate bean curd refuse and resin even though the total weight ratio of bean curd refuse and resin is high. is. In the production method of the present invention, the total weight ratio of bean curd refuse and resin in the mixture of bean curd refuse and resin before heat melt-kneading is 75% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, or 100%. In the present specification, the term "total weight ratio of okara and resin" may be a value calculated based on the absolute dry weight of each of okara and resin, or based on the weight including moisture. Although it may be a calculated value, it is typically a value calculated based on the absolute dry weight. The total weight ratio of bean curd refuse and resin in the mixture of bean curd refuse and resin before heat-melting and kneading is preferably 90% by weight or more, more preferably 95% by weight or more, and most preferably 100%.

The total weight ratio of bean curd refuse and resin in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin of the present invention is 75% or more, 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, 98% or more, 99% or more, or 100%. be. The total weight ratio of the bean curd refuse and the resin in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin is preferably 90% by weight or more, more preferably 95% by weight or more, and most preferably 100%.

In one embodiment, the kneaded resin of the present invention and a molded product (for example, a seedling pot) molded therefrom do not use a paste or a compatibilizer for uniformly blending the bean curd refuse and the resin. . Common sizing agents for uniformly blending bean curd refuse and resin include polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and starch glue. Common compatibilizers for uniformly blending okara with resins include cellulose esters such as acetylcellulose, diacetylcellulose, triacetylcellulose, nitrocellulose, and cellulose sulfate.

In one embodiment, the resin kneaded with bean curd refuse of the present invention may also contain additional components in addition to bean curd refuse and resin. In exemplary embodiments, the additional ingredients include fillers for strength reinforcement, flame retardants (triphenyl phosphate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, etc.), pigments (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, etc.). Examples of fillers for strength reinforcement include organic fillers such as cellulose (eg, derived from wood waste) and inorganic fillers such as talc and cement waste. The weight ratio of the additional components in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin of the present invention is 30% by weight or less, typically 20% by weight or less. In a preferred embodiment, the weight ratio of the additional components in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin of the present invention is 10% by weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less, and most preferably 0% by weight ( i.e. not included).

In okara kneaded resin, the resin can be characterized by forming an interconnected network structure because it solidifies after being melted once. In the bean curd refuse kneaded resin, bean curd refuse can be present in the form of particles because it can maintain its shape before and after kneading. In the bean curd refuse kneaded resin, it is preferable that the resin and bean curd refuse exist ^uniformly . Similar to the weight ratio of okara or resin in the whole kneaded resin, the difference may be, for example, within 5%, within 3%, or within 1%.

In the present specification, in the resin kneaded with bean curd lees, the expression that the bean curd refuse and the resin “do not separate” means that the traces of peeling of the bean curd refuse from the resin can be observed visually in 80% or more of the surface of the kneaded resin. is not observed. In a preferred embodiment, in the kneaded resin of the present invention, no trace of peeling of bean curd refuse from the resin is observed in 90% or more of the surface of the kneaded resin surface that can be visually observed, and it is a more preferable embodiment. In , no trace of peeling of bean curd refuse from the resin is observed in 95% or more of the surface of the resin kneaded bean curd refuse that can be visually observed. Note that this peeling mark also applies to bean curd refuse kneaded pellets obtained after cutting the kneaded resin. That is, in the bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellet of the present invention, the bean curd refuse and the resin do not separate, and in a preferred embodiment, the bean curd refuse is separated from the resin in 90% or more of the surface of the bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellet that can be visually observed. No trace of peeling is observed, and in a more preferred embodiment, no trace of peeling of okara from the resin is observed in 95% or more of the visually observable surface area of the kneaded resin pellet. For example, the traces of peeling may be holes in the resin or cavities surrounded by the resin, which are caused by peeling off the originally present bean curd refuse particles from the resin. Peeling can also be characterized by poor retention of okara in the kneaded resin. In one embodiment, the weight of okara that falls per square meter of cross-section when the kneaded resin is cut and the newly formed cross-section faces downward and is subjected to horizontal vibration at 100 rpm with an amplitude of 1 cm for ¹ minute. However, when the weight is 10 g or less, 1 g or less, 0.1 g or less, or 0.01 g or less, it can be determined that there is no peeling.

(shape and size of resin)
Regarding the shape of the resin to be kneaded with bean curd refuse, if the resin is originally in the form of a film or sheet such as a packaging film or a container, it is finely cut and supplied to an injection molding machine. In this case, the size is preferably 0.1 mm square or more and 10 mm square or less, more preferably 3 mm square or more and 9 mm square or less, and most preferably 6 mm square or more and 8 mm square or less. If the size of the resin is less than 0.1 mm square, static electricity scatters remarkably, resulting in poor operability. This is because the bean curd refuse does not enter the cylinder 2 when it is charged into the machine hopper 1, resulting in insufficient mixing with the bean curd refuse, and the uniformity of the bean curd refuse and the resin is lowered during kneading.

The thickness is preferably 0.01 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more preferably 0.05 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and most preferably 0.09 mm or more and 0.12 mm or less. If the thickness of the resin is less than 0.01 mm, scattering due to static electricity is significant and the operability is poor. This is because the bean curd refuse does not enter into the kneader cylinder 2 when it is charged into the kneader cylinder 2, resulting in insufficient mixing with the bean curd refuse, and the uniformity of the bean curd refuse and the resin is lowered during kneading.

When the shape of the resin to be kneaded with bean curd refuse is fiber, the thickness and the number of filaments are not particularly limited, but the fiber length is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or more and 8 mm or less, and most preferably 4 mm or more and 6 mm or less. If the fiber length is less than 1 mm, scattering due to static electricity is remarkably poor in operability. This is because the bean curd refuse does not enter the kneader cylinder 2, resulting in insufficient mixing with the bean curd refuse, and the homogeneity of the bean curd refuse and the resin is lowered during kneading.

When the shape of the resin to be kneaded with okara is granular, the average particle size of the granules is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or more and 8 mm or less, and most preferably 4 mm or more and 6 mm or less. If the average particle size is smaller than 1 mm, scattering due to static electricity is significant and operability is poor. If the average particle size is larger than 10 mm, the mixture of resin and bean curd refuse is put into the kneader hopper 1 shown in FIG. This is because the bean curd refuse does not enter the kneader cylinder 2 at this time, resulting in insufficient mixing with the bean curd refuse, and the homogeneity of the bean curd refuse and the resin is lowered during kneading.

(size of okara)
The average particle diameter of okara is preferably 10 μm or more and less than 500 μm, more preferably 50 μm or more and less than 250 μm, most preferably 70 μm or more and less than 100 μm. However, as demonstrated in Example 6, if the average particle size of okara is about 200 μm, pulverization before kneading can be omitted. If the average particle size of bean curd refuse is less than 10 µm, it tends to scatter during mixing, and there is a concern that the operability will be lowered. When the bean curd refuse is put into the kneader hopper 1 shown in FIG. This is because the dispersibility decreases. In the present specification, the term "average particle diameter" means a value obtained by measuring the longest diameters of 20 randomly selected okara particles with a scanning electron microscope and averaging them. For example, the diameter of okara particles can be measured based on the scale. The size of okara can be maintained in the kneaded resin and molded product.

(percentage of water contained in okara)
If the resin and bean curd refuse are absolutely dry, static electricity during kneading tends to scatter the cut resin material and bean curd refuse. Therefore, the generation of static electricity is prevented by properly containing moisture in okara. At this time, the moisture content of bean curd refuse is preferably 1% by weight or more and less than 20% by weight, more preferably 5% by weight or more and less than 15% by weight, and most preferably 9% by weight or more and less than 12% by weight. If the moisture content of bean curd refuse is less than 1% by weight, it may scatter during mixing and the variation in the mixing ratio may increase. This is because the heat of vaporization of is large, and there is a concern that the resin may not be sufficiently melted, and particularly in the case of a resin having an ester bond, there is a concern that the molecular weight may be significantly reduced due to hydrolysis.

(Proportion of oil content in okara)
Oil contained in bean curd refuse improves compatibility with resin and is essential for uniform kneading. Therefore, the content of oil contained in bean curd refuse is preferably 1% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less, more preferably 7% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less, and most preferably 11% by weight or more and 13% by weight or less. If the content of oil contained in bean curd refuse is less than 1% by weight, kneading with the resin may become uneven, and there is a concern that the bean curd refuse from the pot for raising seedlings may be remarkably peeled off. This is because if the content is more than 20% by weight, the oil may bleed out of the seedling pot, which may cause corrosion of machinery such as an injection molding machine.

(Overview of seedling pot manufacturing)
As an example of producing a molding of the kneaded okara resin of the present invention, a method for producing a seedling pot will be described below. The method for producing a seedling pot in the present invention includes a kneaded pellet manufacturing step (hereinafter referred to as kneading step) in which resin and bean curd refuse are kneaded in an arbitrary ratio, followed by a step of injection molding into a seedling pot shape (hereinafter referred to as molding step). Become.

(Kneading process)
In the kneading step, resin and bean curd refuse are first mixed in an arbitrary ratio. Typically, the resin and bean curd refuse are mixed so that the bean curd refuse kneading ratio in the above bean curd refuse kneading resin is, for example, 30% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less. The mixing method is not particularly limited. For example, after putting okara and resin in an arbitrary ratio into a container such as a stainless steel barrel, the container may be manually turned upside down with a lid, or a rotary stirrer may be used. may be used to stir the mixture of resin and okara while rotating. At this time, the okara contains an appropriate amount of water, which prevents the generation of static electricity on the resin surface and makes it difficult to scatter.

(Amount of okara and resin input to stirring vessel)
When mixing the bean curd refuse and the resin, it is preferable that the following formula 2 is satisfied between the bulk volume of the bean curd refuse, the bulk volume of the resin, and the volume of the stirring container. V1, V2 and V in Formula 2 represent the bulk volume of bean curd refuse, the bulk volume of resin, and the volume of the stirrer, respectively.

Regarding the amount of okara and resin put into the stirring vessel, (V1+V2)/V is preferably 0.1 or more and 0.8 or less, more preferably 0.3 or more and 0.6 or less, and 0 0.4 or more and 0.5 or less is most preferable. If the numerical value of Formula 2 is less than 0.1, the rate of loss due to adhesion to the inner wall of the stirring vessel increases, and if it is greater than 0.8, the okara and the resin are not stirred, resulting in insufficient mixing. There is concern that

(Number of revolutions of stirrer during rotary stirring)
When the bean curd refuse and the resin are mixed by rotary stirring, the rotation speed of the stirrer can be any value as long as the bean curd refuse and the resin are appropriately stirred, but it is preferably 1 rpm or more and 30 rpm or less, 5 rpm or more and 20 rpm is more preferable, and 12 rpm or more and 15 rpm or less is most preferable. If the rotation speed is less than 1 rpm, there is a concern that the okara and the resin will not be sufficiently stirred, and if the rotation speed is higher than 30 rpm, there will be no significant difference in the degree of mixing, and the technical significance will be diluted. .

(Kneading okara and resin)
The mixture of bean curd refuse and resin produced in the mixing step is heat-melted and kneaded. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a mixture of okara and resin is introduced from hopper 1 of a kneader shown schematically in FIG. A screw 3 having a spiral groove rotates in a cylinder 2 of the kneader, and the melted resin and bean curd refuse are mixed and discharged from a discharge port 4 . At this time, the oil contained in bean curd refuse prevents phase separation between the resin and bean curd refuse, and the mixture is uniformly kneaded. Normally, when kneading food biomass or inorganic fillers that have low compatibility with resins, a compatibilizer or the like is added to improve uniformity, but the okara used in the present invention contains oil, so a compatibilizer is added. Uniform kneading is possible without

(Kneading temperature)
In an exemplary embodiment, a heater 5 is installed inside the cylinder 2 of the kneader for producing bean curd refuse kneaded resin of the present invention, and the kneading temperature can be arbitrarily controlled by the control unit 6. . In addition, the "kneading temperature" in this specification means the temperature of the hottest part in the cylinder 2 . The kneading temperature for kneading okara and resin is preferably 160° C. or higher and 220° C. or lower, more preferably 170° C. or higher and 200° C. or lower, and most preferably 180° C. or higher and 190° C. or lower. If the kneading temperature is less than 160°C, the resin will not be sufficiently melted, and if the kneading temperature is higher than 220°C, the thermal decomposition of bean curd refuse will be significant, and there is a concern that a desirable bean curd refuse kneaded resin cannot be obtained. In a preferred embodiment, the kneading step may be conducted such that the molecular weight of the resin after kneading is increased compared to the molecular weight of the resin before kneading.

(Screw rotation speed of kneader)
In the kneading step, the rotation speed of the screw 3 of the kneader is preferably 10 rpm or more and 100 rpm or less, more preferably 40 rpm or more and 80 rpm or less, and most preferably 50 rpm or more and 65 rpm or less. When the rotation speed of the screw 3 of the kneader is less than 10 rpm, the resin and bean curd refuse are exposed to heat for a long time, and there is a concern that thermal decomposition and hydrolysis may easily occur. This is because there is a concern that the melting will be insufficient and kneading with okara will not be possible.

(Material of kneader cylinder)
Although the material of the cylinder 2 of the kneader is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use a material such as stainless steel or cermet because the resin and bean curd lees containing moisture come into contact with the kneader screw 5 as well. In addition, it is also preferable to improve the corrosion resistance by applying a surface treatment such as chromium plating.

(Material of kneader screw)
Although the material of the screw 3 of the kneader is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use stainless steel or cermet as the material of the screw because the bean curd refuse containing water is introduced. In addition, it is also preferable to improve the corrosion resistance by applying a surface treatment such as chromium plating.

(automatic exhaust valve)
In a preferred embodiment, in the kneader used in the heat melt kneading in the production of the okara kneading resin of the present invention, the cylinder An automatic exhaust valve 7 is installed in . At this time, it is preferable that the automatic exhaust valve 7 be set so as to automatically release water vapor into the atmosphere when the pressure inside the cylinder reaches 0.05 MPa.G or more.

(Diameter of kneader outlet)
Although the shape of the kneader outlet 4 is not particularly limited, it is most preferably circular. When the shape of the kneader outlet 4 is circular, the diameter of the kneader outlet 4 is preferably 1 mm or more and less than 10 mm, more preferably 2 mm or more and 6 mm or less, and most preferably 4 mm or more and less than 5 mm. When the diameter of the discharge port 4 is less than 1 mm, the discharged bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is easily cut, and when it is larger than 10 mm, the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is easily cut. There is a concern that the operability of

(Cooling of kneaded bean curd refuse resin)
In the kneading step, rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is discharged from the outlet 4 of the kneader. The bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 immediately after being discharged is transferred to the pelletizer 9, but the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is cooled and solidified in the preceding stage. At this time, the method of cooling the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 is a method of sending air to the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 with a blower (hereinafter referred to as an air cooling method), a method of impregnating the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 in water (hereinafter referred to as a water cooling method), Any method such as a method of contacting with a cooling block (hereinafter referred to as a cooling block method) can be preferably used.

(cooling distance)
In the cooling step, when the rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 discharged from the discharge port 4 of the kneader is cooled, the distance from the discharge port 6 of the kneader to the pelletizer 9 is preferably 1 m or more and 10 m or less, and 2 m or more and 6 m or less. is more preferable, and 3 m or more and 5 m or less is most preferable. If the distance from the kneader outlet 4 to the pelletizer 11 is less than 1 m, the seedling pot may not be sufficiently cooled, and subsequent cutting may become difficult. This is because if the distance is longer than 10 m, the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 is sufficiently solidified, and the technical significance is diminished.

(Cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by air cooling method)
When the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is cooled by an air cooling method, the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 moves on a feed table 9 installed between the injection molding machine and the pelletizer. At this time, air is blown to the surface of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 from the blower 10, and the wind speed on the surface of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 is preferably 1.5 m/s or more and 10 m/s or less, more preferably 3 m/s or more and 7 m/s or less. It is preferably 4 m/s or more and 5 m/s or less, most preferably. If the wind velocity on the surface of the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is less than 1.5 m/s, the kneaded material is not sufficiently cooled, making subsequent cutting difficult. This is because there is a concern that the kneaded bean curd refuse resin 8 may be cut.

(Cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by water cooling system)
When the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is cooled by a water cooling system, the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 passes through a water tank 11 as shown in FIG. 3 instead of the feed table 9 shown in FIG. At this time, the water temperature in the water tank 11 is preferably 0° C. or higher and 10° C. or lower, more preferably 2° C. or higher and 7° C. or lower, and most preferably 4° C. or higher and 6° C. or lower. When the water temperature in the water tank 11 is less than 0°C, the water in the water tank 11 becomes ice, and the mixed bean curd refuse resin 8 cannot be immersed. Because of this, there is a concern that subsequent cutting will be difficult. In addition, when cooling by a water cooling system, it is necessary to perform drying treatment again after the cutting process to remove moisture.

(Cooling of bean curd refuse kneaded resin by cooling block contact method)
When the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is cooled by the cooling block contact method, a cooling block 12 is installed on the feed table 9 shown in FIG. The temperature of the cooling block 12 is preferably -20°C or higher and 10°C or lower, more preferably -5°C or higher and 5°C or lower, and most preferably 0°C or higher and 3°C or lower. Even if the temperature of the cooling block 12 is less than -20°C, there is no difference in the degree of cooling of the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8, and the technical significance is weak. This is because there is a concern that subsequent cutting will be difficult because of the sufficient amount.

(Cutting of okara kneaded resin)
The cooled rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is cut into an arbitrary size by cutting using a pelletizer 13 to obtain bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets 14 . At this time, the cutting method is not particularly limited, but a strand cutting method in which the pelletizer cuts with a rotary blade and a fixed blade is practically preferable.

(Cutting interval of okara kneaded resin)
When the rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 sent from the injection molding machine is cut by the pelletizer 13, the cutting interval is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or more and 8 mm or less, most preferably 4 mm or more and 5 mm or less. preferable. If the cutting interval is less than 1 mm, the bean curd refuse kneaded into the kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellet 14 is likely to separate, and if it is longer than 10 mm, when the bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellet 14 is injection molded, as shown in FIG. This is because there is a concern that the bean curd refuse kneaded resin 8 is clogged at the connection point of the hopper 15 of the injection molding machine and the cylinder 16 of the injection molding machine and cannot be sent to the screw 17 of the injection molding machine.

(Overview of injection molding into okara kneading seedling pots)
The kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellets 14 are introduced into a hopper 15 of an injection molding machine schematically shown in FIG. An injection molding machine screw 18 rotates in an injection molding machine cylinder 16, and the mixed bean curd refuse resin pellets 14 are injected in a molten state into a mold 18 consisting of a moving mold 18a and a fixed mold 18b. At this time, the size of the seedling pot can be arbitrarily set according to the clamping force of the injection molding machine and the size of the mold.

(molding temperature)
A heater 19 is installed inside the cylinder 16 of the injection molding machine, and the kneading temperature can be arbitrarily controlled by the control section 20 of the injection molding machine. The molding temperature of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellets 14 is preferably 160° C. or higher and 220° C. or lower, more preferably 170° C. or higher and 200° C. or lower, and most preferably 180° C. or higher and 190° C. or lower. If the molding temperature is less than 160° C., the resin may not melt sufficiently, and the metal members of the injection molding machine cylinder 16 and the injection molding machine screw 17 may be worn, and molding defects such as short shots may easily occur. If the molding temperature is higher than 220°C, thermal decomposition of bean curd refuse becomes remarkable, and thermal decomposition products of the bean curd refuse components are generated, causing an increase in internal pressure in the injection molding machine, and the decomposition of oil content reduces the dispersibility of bean curd refuse. There are concerns that

(Screw rotation speed of injection molding machine)
In the injection molding of the bean curd refuse kneading seedling pot, the rotation speed of the injection molding machine screw 17 is preferably 50 rpm or more and 120 rpm or less, more preferably 60 rpm or more and 110 rpm or less, and most preferably 80 rpm or more and 100 rpm or less. If the rotation speed of the screw 17 of the injection molding machine is less than 50 rpm, the resin and bean curd refuse are exposed to heat for a long time, and there is a concern that thermal decomposition and hydrolysis may easily occur. This is because there is a concern that the melting will be insufficient and molding defects such as short shots will easily occur.

(Material of injection molding machine screw)
Although the material of the screw 17 of the injection molding machine is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use stainless steel or cermet as the material of the screw because okara itself is hydrophilic and easily absorbs moisture. In addition, it is also preferable to improve the corrosion resistance by applying a surface treatment such as chromium plating.

(Material of injection molding machine cylinder)
The material of the cylinder 16 of the injection molding machine is also not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use stainless steel or cermet as the material of the screw because bean curd refuse itself is hydrophilic and easily absorbs moisture, as is the case with the screw 17 of the injection molding machine. In addition, it is also preferable to improve the corrosion resistance by applying a surface treatment such as chromium plating.

Examples for obtaining preferable seedling-raising pots are shown below and explained in more detail. The examples are for the purpose of explaining the invention in detail, and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the invention.

[Example 1]
(resin and okara)
Polybutylene succinate (Mitsubishi Chemical BioPBS (registered trademark), FZ71PB) was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 12% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 99 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The resin of this example and bean curd refuse are mixed so that the bean curd refuse kneading ratio is 30% by weight, and the rotation speed is 15 rpm and (V1+V2)/V is 0.6 using a rotary stirrer for 10 minutes. Mixed.

(Kneading resin and okara)
A kneader (MODEL E50-25BB manufactured by Kanto Engineering Co., Ltd.) was used for kneading the resin and okara. In this example, the set temperatures of the kneader heaters 7a, 7b, 7c and 7n were 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C., respectively, and the screw rotation speed was 60 rpm. In addition, the diameter of the ejection port was set to 20 mm.

(cooling)
The rod-shaped kneaded bean curd refuse resin discharged from the discharge port of the kneader was air-cooled by blowing air at a wind speed of 4 m/s to the surface of the kneaded bean curd refuse resin pellets. At this time, the distance from the discharge port of the kneader to the pelletizer was 5 m.

(cutting)
The rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin solidified in the cooling step was cut at intervals of 4 mm by a pelletizer (manufactured by Imoto Seisakusho, model IMC-1113) to obtain bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Using an injection molding machine (manufactured by NSK Ltd., FE80S12ASE) with a mold clamping force of 80 tons, a raising seedling pot having the appearance shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the injection molding machine used in this embodiment can control the molding temperature at four points within the cylinder 17 of the injection molding machine.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 100 ml/min. Appearance was evaluated on the basis of the 5-level evaluation shown in Table 2. In addition, an appearance index of 4 or more was evaluated as "suitable".

(Strength evaluation of raising seedling pot)
Ten samples each having a size of 10 mm x 40 mm were cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example with a cutter and used as strength and elongation test samples. These samples were subjected to a strength elongation test using a material testing machine manufactured by Tokyo Koki Seisakusho under conditions of a chuck distance of 20 mm and a crosshead speed of 30 mm/min to measure the stress at yield and the elongation at yield. The Young's modulus was calculated from the initial slope of the stress-strain curve and used as an index of stiffness.

(Evaluation of elution of fertilizer components)
1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, and the eluted ion components of the immersion liquid were quantitatively analyzed by ion chromatography (Dionex ICS-1600 manufactured by Thermo Fischer). .

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
100 g of potting soil (Akagi Engei, organic field flower and vegetable soil) was placed in the nursery pot obtained in this example, and tomato seedlings were planted. Thereafter, the growing condition was evaluated based on the thickness and height of the stem of the plant, using the 5-grade evaluation shown in Table 3 as a standard. In addition, 4 or more in the 5-point evaluation regarding the growth condition of tomatoes was evaluated as "suitable".

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example. % and 488.4 MPa. For comparison, 10 strength and elongation test samples cut out from a seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene terephthalate without kneading bean curd refuse were subjected to a strength and elongation test. The average values of stress, elongation at yield and Young's modulus were 18.1 MPa, 19.2% and 216.7 MPa, respectively. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity of the seedling pot obtained in this example is higher than that of the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene terephthalate.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 3.73 mg/L and 0.34 mg/L, respectively. . For comparison, 1 g of a seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene terephthalate without kneading bean curd refuse was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour. The ion concentrations were 0.02 mg/L and 0.00 mg/L (not detected), respectively. Thus, it was shown that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during the growth of the plant by using the seedling pot obtained in this example.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were excellent compared to the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene terephthalate. The tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 2]
(resin and okara)
The resin used in this example was obtained by cutting a 1 mm-thick polyethylene film into 5 mm squares using a cutting machine. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 10% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 92 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 25% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 195° C., 200° C., 200° C. and 190° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 100 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation, and Young's modulus were 22.1 MPa and 6.4, respectively. % and 471.6 MPa. For comparison, 10 strength and elongation test specimens cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polyethylene film cut product used in this example without kneading okara were tested for strength and elongation. was performed, the average values of the stress at yield point, elongation at yield point and Young's modulus were 17.5 MPa, 12.2% and 322.9 MPa, respectively. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity of the seedling pot obtained in this example is higher than that of the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the cut piece of polyethylene film.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 2.81 mg/L and 0.29 mg/L, respectively. . For comparison, 1 g of a seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polyethylene film cut material without kneading bean curd refuse was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour. Acid ion concentrations were 0.01 mg/L and 0.00 mg/L (not detected), respectively. Thus, it was shown that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during the growth of the plant by using the seedling pot obtained in this example.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were excellent compared to the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polyethylene film cut material. The tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 3]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as in Example 1 was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 10% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 75 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 25% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 215° C., 220° C., 220° C. and 210° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 50 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example. % and 556.4 MPa. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity is higher than that of the strength and elongation test sample cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene succinate in Example 1.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 5.52 mg/L and 0.55 mg/L, respectively. . Compared to the seedling pot made of only polybutylene succinate prepared in Example 1, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were higher, so the seedling pot obtained in this example was used. showed that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during plant growth.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were superior to those of the seedling pot containing only polybutylene succinate. The tomato growth status evaluation was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 4]
(resin and okara)
The resin used in this example was obtained by cutting a 1 mm-thick polypropylene film into 5 mm squares using a cutting machine. Also, okara was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and had a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 11% by weight. Further, okara was ground to an average particle size of 72 μm by a ball mill and used.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 20% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 90 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example. % and 450.7 MPa.
For comparison, 10 strength and elongation test samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polypropylene film cut product used in this example without kneading okara were tested for strength and elongation. was carried out, the average values of yield point stress, yield point elongation and Young's modulus were 17.1 MPa, 12.4% and 316.4 MPa, respectively. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity of the seedling pot obtained in this example is higher than that of the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the cut piece of polypropylene film.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 2.07 mg/L and 0.24 mg/L, respectively. . For comparison, 1 g of a seedling pot obtained by injection-molding only the polypropylene film cut material without kneading okara was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour. Acid ion concentrations were 0.01 mg/L and 0.00 mg/L (not detected), respectively. Thus, it was shown that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during the growth of the plant by using the seedling pot obtained in this example.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were excellent compared to the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polypropylene film cut material. The tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 5]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as in Example 2 was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 6% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 54 µm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 25% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 160° C., 165° C., 165° C. and 160° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 120 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation, and Young's modulus were 21.6 MPa and 7.6, respectively. % and 459.1 MPa. As described above, it was shown that the rigidity is higher than that of the strength and elongation test sample cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polyethylene film cut material performed in Example 2.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 2.79 mg/L and 0.28 mg/L, respectively. . Compared to the seedling pot made of only polyethylene film cut material prepared in Example 2, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were higher, so the seedling pot obtained in this example was used. showed that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during plant growth.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were superior to those of the commercially available seedling pot compared to the seedling pot containing only polyethylene film cut material. , the tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 6]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as in Example 1 was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 2% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 250 µm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 40% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 195° C., 200° C., 200° C. and 190° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 60 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation and Young's modulus were 24.1 MPa and 5.7, respectively. % and 514.7 MPa. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity is higher than that of the strength and elongation test sample cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene succinate in Example 1.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 4.16 mg/L and 0.45 mg/L, respectively. . Compared to the seedling pot made of only polybutylene succinate prepared in Example 1, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were higher, so the seedling pot obtained in this example was used. showed that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during plant growth.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were superior to those of the seedling pot containing only polybutylene succinate. The tomato growth status evaluation was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Example 7]
(resin and okara)
Polylactic acid (Unitika, Terramac (registered trademark)) was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 14% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 146 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of the okara was 10% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 195° C., 200° C., 200° C. and 190° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 100 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Appearance evaluation was performed on the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation, and Young's modulus were 19.2 MPa and 11.5, respectively. % and 351.9 MPa. For comparison, the strength and elongation test was performed on 10 strength and elongation test samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polylactic acid used in this example without kneading okara. The average values of stress at yield, elongation at yield and Young's modulus were 16.9 MPa, 15.4% and 282.1 MPa, respectively. Thus, it was shown that the rigidity of the seedling pot obtained in this example is higher than that of the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polylactic acid.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 1.01 mg/L and 0.12 mg/L, respectively. . For comparison, 1 g of a seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polylactic acid without kneading bean curd refuse was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour. Concentrations were 0.01 mg/L and 0.00 mg/L (not detected), respectively. Thus, it was shown that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during the growth of the plant by using the seedling pot obtained in this example.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were superior to the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polylactic acid. , the tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, the appearance of the seedling pot, the strength and elongation, the elution of the fertilizer component, and the growth condition of the plant all met the standards, so the comprehensive evaluation of this example was suitable.

[Comparative Example 1]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as in Example 1 was used in this comparative example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this comparative example was 14% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 192 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this comparative example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of okara was 90% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding the preparation of a seedling pot by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used, and an attempt was made to prepare a seedling pot with the appearance shown in FIG. , Short shots occurred frequently, and the seedling pot could not be formed as designed.

In this comparative example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 90 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
Regarding the appearance evaluation of the seedling pot, the evaluation was set to 1 because short shots frequently occurred in this comparative example and the seedling pot could not be formed as designed.

(Strength of seedling pot)
When an attempt was made to cut out a sample from the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example in order to conduct a strength elongation test, the sample was easily broken, making it impossible to measure the strength elongation test.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
In this comparative example, since the seedling pot could not be formed as designed, 1 g was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25 ° C. for 1 hour. .45 mg/L. Compared to the seedling pot made of only polybutylene succinate prepared in Example 1, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were higher, so the seedling pot obtained in this example was used. showed that the fertilizer component was eluted into the growth soil such as potting soil during plant growth.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
In this comparative example, the seedling pot could not be shaped as designed, so it was impossible to verify the growth promoting effect.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, when the bean curd refuse kneading ratio was too high, it was not possible to prepare seedling pots by injection molding, so the comprehensive evaluation of this comparative example was unsuitable.

[Comparative Example 2]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as used in Example 4 was used in this comparative example. Also, okara was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and had a moisture content of 10% by weight. The okara used in this comparative example was immersed in a chloroform/methanol solution in which equal amounts of chloroform and methanol were mixed, so that the oil content was adjusted to 0% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 106 µm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The same method as in Example 1 was used to mix the resin and okara in this comparative example.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this comparative example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were set to 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C. respectively, and the injection speed was set to 120 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
When the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example was evaluated for its appearance, it was possible to visually confirm areas with a large amount of bean curd refuse and areas with a small amount of bean curd refuse. .

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation, and Young's modulus were 8.6 MPa and 8.2, respectively. % and 289.4 MPa.
Thus, it was shown that the yield point stress and rigidity were lower than those of the raising seedling pot of only the cut pieces of polypropylene film used in Example 4.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 3.59 mg/L and 0.36 mg/L, respectively. . In this way, compared with the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the polypropylene film cut material, the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example has fertilizer components in the growing soil such as potting soil during plant growth. was shown to elute.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example, both the thickness of the stem and the height of the plant were superior to those of the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only the cut pieces of polypropylene film. The tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 5.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, when the oil content was removed from the bean curd refuse, the formability of the seedling pot was poor, and the stress at the yield point and the rigidity were lowered.

[Comparative Example 3]
(resin and okara)
The same resin as in Example 1 was used as the resin in this example. Also, okara produced in the tofu production process was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and used with a moisture content of 10% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 12% by weight. Furthermore, when the okara was observed with an optical microscope, the average particle size was 151 μm.

(mixture of okara and resin)
The mixing of the resin and okara in this comparative example was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the kneading ratio of okara was 7% by weight.

(Production of okara kneaded resin pellets)
The kneading, cooling, and cutting operations in the preparation of the mixed resin pellets were performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

(Injection molding into seedling pot pellets)
Regarding production of seedling pots by injection molding using the obtained bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets, the same injection molding machine as in Example 1 was used to produce seedling pots having the appearance shown in FIG.

In this example, the temperatures of the injection molding machine cylinders 20a, 20b, 20c and 20n were 175° C., 180° C., 180° C. and 170° C. respectively, and the injection speed was 100 ml/min.

(Evaluation of raising seedling pot)
The same methods as in Example 1 were used to evaluate the strength of the seedling pot obtained in this example, to evaluate the elution of fertilizer components from the seedling pot, and to verify the effect of promoting growth.

(Appearance evaluation of seedling pot)
When the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example was evaluated for appearance, the evaluation was 5.

(Strength of seedling pot)
A strength elongation test was performed on 10 samples cut out from the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example, and the average values of the yield point stress, yield point elongation, and Young's modulus were 18.2 MPa and 19.2, respectively. % and 246.7 MPa. Thus, compared with the strength and elongation test sample cut out from the seedling pot obtained by injection molding only polybutylene succinate in Example 1, the yield point stress is slightly higher and the rigidity is higher. shown.

(Amount of fertilizer components eluted from seedling pots)
When 1 g of the seedling pot obtained in this comparative example was immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water were 0.75 mg/L and 0.07 mg/L, respectively. . Compared to the seedling pot made of only polybutylene succinate prepared in Example 1, the concentrations of potassium ions and phosphate ions in the distilled water are higher. It was shown that the fertilizer components are eluted into the growing soil such as potting soil during plant growth.

(Verification of growth promotion effect)
When tomatoes were cultivated using the seedling pot obtained in this example, the results were equivalent to those of a seedling pot containing only polybutylene succinate. Therefore, the tomato growth status evaluation based on Table 3 was 3.

(comprehensive evaluation)
From the above results, when the amount of okara kneaded was small, no growth promoting effect was observed. Therefore, the comprehensive evaluation of this comparative example was unsuitable.

Table 4 shows the conditions for preparing bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets and seedling pots performed in Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, and the appearance evaluation, strength evaluation, and fertilizer components (potassium, phosphoric acid) of the obtained seedling pots. Table 5 summarizes the total evaluation of the amount of elution and the effect of promoting plant growth.

[Example 8]
Change in molecular weight of resin in okara kneaded resin

Preparation of okara kneaded resin (resin and okara)
Polybutylene succinate (PTT MCC Biochem, BioPBS FZ71) pellets were used as the resin in this example. Also, okara was placed in a dryer set at 80° C. and had a moisture content of 20% by weight. The oil content of the bean curd refuse used in this example was 9% by weight. Further, okara was ground to an average particle size of 75 μm by a ball mill and used.

(Mixing process)
The resin of this example and bean curd refuse were mixed so that the kneading ratio of bean curd refuse was 20% by weight or 30% by weight. A mixing step of .8 was performed for 10 minutes.

(Kneading process)
For the kneading of the resin and okara, for example, a kneader as shown in FIG. 1 was used. In this example, the set temperatures of the heaters 5a, 5b, 5c and 5n were 165° C., 170° C., 170° C. and 160° C., respectively, and the screw rotation speed was 50 rpm. In addition, the diameter of the ejection port was set to 20 mm.

(Cooling process)
In the kneading step, the kneaded rod-shaped bean curd refuse resin coming out of the outlet of the kneader was cooled and solidified in the cooling step. In this example, the rod-shaped okara kneaded resin was cooled by bringing it into contact with a cooling block cooled to −5° C., and the cooling distance was 10 m.

(Cutting process)
The rod-shaped bean curd refuse kneaded resin solidified in the cooling step was cut by a pelletizer at intervals of 10 mm to obtain bean curd refuse kneaded resin pellets.

Molecular weight determination (sample preparation)
10 mg of bean curd refuse kneaded resin was dissolved in 10 mL of chloroform (manufactured by Kanto Kagaku Co., Ltd.), filtered through a membrane filter (manufactured by PTFE, 0.50 um), and the molecular weight of PBS was analyzed. The molecular weight distribution measurement results of the samples were calculated in terms of polystyrene.
(Analysis conditions)
Analyzer: Gel permeation chromatograph analyzer (DGU-20A3 / LC-20AD / CBM-20A / SIL-20AHT / CTO-20AC / SPD-M20A / RID-10A / FRC-10A, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)
Reference material: Shodex STANDARD
(Type: SM-105, peak top molecular weight: 1150, 2970, 6320, 19500, 45100, 139000, 270000, 730000, 1390000, 2380000, manufactured by Showa Denko K.K.)
Amount of sample introduced: 20 uL
Mobile phase: chloroform Flow rate: 1 mL / min
Column: Shodex GPC K-806M (300 mm x 8.0 mm I.D.)
Column temperature: 40°C
Detector: Refractive Index Detector (RID)
The results are shown below.

From the results shown in Tables 4 and 5 above, the nursery pot in which bean curd refuse was kneaded can promote the growth of plants while maintaining strength. As a result, it is possible not only to increase the yield of agricultural products, but also to reduce the amount of resin used and to effectively utilize bean curd refuse that has been discarded.

1 Kneader hopper 2 Kneader cylinder 3 Kneader screw 4 Kneader discharge port 5a, 5b, 5c, 5n Heater 6 Kneader control unit 7 Automatic exhaust valve 8 Rod-shaped bean curd refuse resin kneaded material 9 Feed stand 10 Blower 11 Water tank 12 Cooling block 13 Pelletizer 14 Okara resin kneaded pellet 15 Injection molding machine hopper 16 Injection molding machine cylinder 17 Injection molding machine screw 18a Fixed mold 18b Moving molds 19a, 19b, 19c, 19n Heater 20 Injection molding machine control unit

Claims (9)

A composition for raising seedlings containing bean curd refuse kneaded resin obtained by heating and melting and kneading bean curd refuse and resin. 2. The composition for raising seedlings according to claim 1, which is a molded product of kneaded bean curd refuse resin. 2. The composition for raising seedlings according to claim 1, which is a seedling-raising pot having a structure for accommodating potting soil therein. The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the weight ratio of bean curd refuse in the composition for raising seedlings is 10% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less. The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the total weight ratio of said bean curd refuse and said resin in said bean curd refuse kneaded resin is 80% by weight or more. The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the resin is mainly composed of one or more selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, polylactic acid, and polybutylene succinate. The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the okara contains 1% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less of oil. When 1 g of the seedling-raising composition is immersed in 100 ml of distilled water at 25° C. for 1 hour, the distilled water has a potassium ion concentration of 1 mg/L or more and a phosphate ion concentration of 0.1 mg/L or more. , The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The composition for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the bean curd refuse and the resin do not separate.

Images