JP2023159554A - Cultivation sheet and cultivation method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cultivation sheet that is easy to individualize and transplant, and to provide a method for cultivating plants (crops) using the cultivation sheet.SOLUTION: A cultivation sheet has a support and a medium layer placed on the support. The cultivation sheet has a separation groove for separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces, and the support within a predetermined area of the cultivation sheet divided by the separation groove has a passage through which the roots of plants grown in the medium layer pass and an insertion hole into which a gripping member that grips the support is inserted when separating the cultivation sheet into the plurality of sheet pieces.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cultivation sheet used for cultivating plants (crops) and a method for cultivating plants (crops) using the cultivation sheet, and particularly relates to a cultivation sheet and a cultivation method that are used in pieces.

Currently, sheet-shaped urethane sponges and the like are used as a plant growth medium. A urethane sponge or the like has a plurality of notches or holes formed at equal intervals for sowing seeds. In addition to urethane sponge, various other media have been proposed as a plant growth medium.
For example, in Patent Document 1, a seedling raising/retaining layer formed in a right-angled quadrilateral shape using a material having continuous pores is bonded onto a support film formed in a right-angled quadrilateral shape, and a plurality of storage areas capable of storing seeds and seedlings are formed. A seedling-raising sheet in which a seedling-raising/retention layer is provided has been proposed. In the seedling growing sheet of Patent Document 1, perforations are provided in the seedling growing/retaining layer and the support film to separate the sheets into a plurality of sheet pieces each having a storage section.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-175511

In the seedling growing sheet of Patent Document 1, perforations are provided and parts of the sheet are cut off into individual pieces (sheet pieces), but there is no place to grip them and it is difficult to make them into sheet pieces. Further, after being made into a sheet, there is no place to grip the sheet, making it difficult to carry and handle the sheet, making it difficult to transplant.
An object of the present invention is to provide a cultivation sheet that is easy to separate into pieces and transplanted, and a method for cultivating plants (crops) using the cultivation sheet.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the present invention (invention [1]) is a cultivation sheet having a support and a medium layer disposed on the support, the cultivation sheet comprising: Each of the supports in a predetermined region of the cultivation sheet, which has a separation groove for separating the sheet pieces into a plurality of sheet pieces and is partitioned by the separation groove, has a passage through which the roots of plants cultivated in the medium layer pass; The present invention provides a cultivation sheet having an insertion hole into which a gripping member for gripping a support portion is inserted when separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces.
One aspect of the present invention (invention [2]) is a cultivation sheet having a support and a culture medium layer disposed on the support, the cultivation sheet being used for separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces. Each of the supports in a predetermined area of the cultivation sheet, which has a plurality of insertion holes and is partitioned by the insertion holes, has a passage through which the roots of the plants cultivated in the medium layer pass, and the cultivation sheet can be The present invention provides a cultivation sheet in which a gripping member for gripping a support portion is inserted into an insertion hole when separating into sheet pieces.

Invention [3] is the cultivation sheet according to invention [1] or [2], wherein the culture medium layer communicates with an insertion hole that the support has and has an insertion hole into which the gripping member is inserted.
In invention [4], the cultivation sheet according to invention [1] or [2], wherein the support has at least two insertion holes.
In invention [5], the cultivation sheet according to any one of inventions [1] to [4], wherein the support has higher rigidity than the medium layer.
Invention [6] provides any one of inventions [1], [3] to [5], wherein seeds are arranged in each medium layer in a predetermined area of a cultivation sheet partitioned by separation grooves. Cultivation sheet described in.
Invention [7], according to any one of inventions [2] to [5], wherein seeds are arranged in each of the medium layers in the predetermined region of the cultivation sheet partitioned by insertion holes. cultivation sheet.
In invention [8], the cultivation sheet according to any one of inventions [1] and [3] to [6], wherein the separation groove is provided in at least one of the support and the culture medium layer.
In invention [9], the cultivation sheet according to any one of inventions [1], [3] to [3], and [8], wherein the separation groove penetrates the support and reaches the medium layer.
In invention [10], the cultivation sheet according to any one of claims [1] to [9], wherein the passage through which plant roots pass has holes or recesses through which the roots pass.
One aspect of the present invention (invention [11]) provides a cultivation method for cultivating plants using the cultivation sheet according to any one of inventions [1] to [10].

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cultivation sheet that is easy to separate and transplant, and a method for cultivating plants (crops) using the cultivation sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a typical perspective view which shows the 1st example of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic plan view which shows the 1st example of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic sectional view which shows the 1st example of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. It is a typical sectional view of the sheet piece obtained from the 1st example of the cultivation sheet of an embodiment of the present invention. (a) to (c) are schematic perspective views showing, in order of steps, the removal of the individualized cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical sectional view showing the 2nd example of the cultivation sheet of an embodiment of the present invention. (a) is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a schematic perspective view showing the second example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical perspective view which shows an example, and (c) is a typical perspective view which shows the 3rd example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. (a) is a schematic plan view showing a third example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a first modification of the third example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows an example, and (c) is a typical plan view which shows the 2nd modification of the 3rd example of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. (a) is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of a support for a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a schematic perspective view showing a second example of a support for a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic perspective view which shows an example, (c) is a typical perspective view which shows the 3rd example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention, and (d) is a typical perspective view which shows the 3rd example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic plan view showing a fourth example of a support for a cultivation sheet, and (e) is a schematic plan view showing a fifth example of a support for a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. (f) is a schematic plan view showing a sixth example of the support for the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and (g) is a schematic plan view showing the seventh example of the support for the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows an example, (h) is a schematic plan view which shows the 8th example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention, and (i) is a schematic plan view which shows the 8th example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the 9th example of the support body of the cultivation sheet. (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating a first example of a method for manufacturing a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention in order of steps. (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing a second example of the method for manufacturing a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention in order of steps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The cultivation sheet and cultivation method of the present invention will be described in detail below based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
Note that the embodiments described below and the content shown in the figures are illustrative for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the figures shown below.

[First example of cultivation sheet]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a first example of a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. be. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first example of a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIG. 1 is used for cultivation of plants, for example, hydroponic cultivation or outdoor cultivation of plants.
The cultivation sheet 10 includes a support 12 and a culture medium layer 14 disposed on the support 12. A protective layer 16 is provided over the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14.
Moreover, the cultivation sheet 10 has separation grooves 15 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) for separating the cultivation sheet 10 into a plurality of sheet pieces 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, separation grooves 15 are provided in a cultivation sheet 10 having a rectangular outer shape so as to form rectangular regions 18 of the same size. The separation grooves 15 are formed linearly in two orthogonal directions at intervals in each direction.
The separation groove 15 may be formed continuously in a straight line, or may be formed discontinuously in a straight line like a perforation.
Further, for example, although the separation groove 15 is provided to penetrate the support body 12 as shown in FIG. 3, it does not reach the culture medium layer 14.

The support body 12 in the predetermined region 18 of the cultivation sheet 10 divided by the separation groove 15 has a passage portion 13 through which roots (not shown) of plants (not shown) cultivated in the medium layer 14 pass, respectively. It has an insertion hole 19a into which a gripping member (not shown) that grips the support body 12 when separating the cultivation sheet 10 into a plurality of sheet pieces 20 is inserted.
The passage part 13 is not particularly limited as long as the roots (not shown) of the cultivated plants (not shown) pass through as described above, and for example, as shown in FIG. , a plurality of holes 13a are provided below the seed 17 as the passage section 13. The holes 13a are for the roots to pass through, for example, through the support 12. Note that the holes 13a do not need to penetrate the support 12 as long as roots generated from the seeds 17 can pass therethrough. Furthermore, the passage portion 13 is not limited to the hole 13a, but may be a recessed portion through which roots pass, as described later.

The insertion holes 19a are provided, for example, at four corners of the rectangular region 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the insertion hole 19a is provided to penetrate the support body 12. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the culture medium layer 14 has an insertion hole 19b that communicates with the insertion hole 19a of the support 12 and into which a gripping member (not shown) is inserted. The insertion hole 19a of the support body 12 and the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 are provided in alignment. The protective layer 16 is also provided with a hole 19c that communicates with the insertion hole 19b. In addition, although the insertion hole 19a of the support body 12 and the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 are provided so that it may penetrate the cultivation sheet 10, the structure which does not penetrate the cultivation sheet 10 may be sufficient. Furthermore, only one of the insertion hole 19a of the support body 12 and the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 may be provided. Further, the protective layer 16 may have a structure in which the holes 19c are not formed.
The insertion hole 19a of the support body 12 and the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 constitute a through hole 19. When the insertion hole 19a and the insertion hole 19b have a circular inner shape, the diameter is about 3 to 4 mm. The inner diameters of the insertion holes 19a and 19b can be measured using a measuring device such as a caliper. Note that when the protective layer 16 has a hole 19c, the hole 19c is included in the through hole 19.

The insertion hole 19a and the insertion hole 19b are used for separating the region 18 and for moving and transplanting the sheet piece 20. Furthermore, if the insertion hole 19a and the insertion hole 19b have a polygonal or elliptical inner shape, the gripping member (not shown) will be inserted in a specific direction; however, if the insertion hole 19a and the insertion hole 19b are circular, the gripping member (not shown) The direction of insertion is not specified, making handling easier. For this reason, it is preferable that the insertion holes 19a and 19b have circular inner shapes.

A gripping member (not shown) is inserted into the through hole 19. Since the separation groove 15 is present, the region 18 can be easily separated from the cultivation sheet 10 using the gripping member. Thereby, the sheet pieces 20 can be easily obtained by cutting into individual pieces. Furthermore, since the obtained sheet piece 20 can be gripped by the through hole 19, it is easy to move and transplant. Thereby, after the seeds 17 germinate, the sheet piece 20 can be easily transplanted depending on the degree of growth of the plant (crop). In this way, the cultivation sheet 10 is easy to separate into pieces and easy to transplant. Note that transplantation also includes permanent transplantation.

The seeds 17 are arranged on the surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14 within a predetermined region 18 of the cultivation sheet 10 divided by the separation groove 15. The seeds 17 are covered with and protected by the protective layer 16 .
The sheet piece 20 is a state in which a predetermined region 18 of the cultivation sheet 10 partitioned by the separation groove 15 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is separated into pieces. By separating it from the cultivation sheet 10 at the separation groove 15 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), a sheet piece 20 as shown in FIG. 4 is obtained.
Here, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sheet piece obtained from the first example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The sheet piece 20 shown in FIG. 4 has a square outer shape, and through holes 19 are provided at four corners. Further, a plurality of holes 13a are provided as passage portions 13 in the support body 12 located below the seeds 17. Grafting is performed by inserting a gripping member (not shown) into the through hole 19 of the sheet piece 20. Note that the size of the area 18 (sheet piece 20) is, for example, 10 mm x 10 mm to 50 mm x 50 mm, but the area 18 (sheet piece 20) does not need to have a square outer shape.
The shape of the region 18 (sheet piece 20) is not limited to a rectangular outer shape, and may be, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a hexagon, or an octagon.

FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic perspective views illustrating the step-by-step process of taking out the individualized cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention.
For example, the sheet piece 20 is placed on the culture medium 24 as shown in FIG. 5(a). The culture medium 24 is provided with a support portion 25 that is inserted into the through hole 19 of the sheet piece 20. The support portion 25 is, for example, a cylindrical member, and is arranged at a position where it can be inserted into two of the four through holes 19 of the sheet piece 20 on the diagonal line.
From the state where the sheet piece 20 is installed in the culture medium 24 as shown in FIG. 5(a), insert the sheet piece 20 into the through hole 19 in which the support part 25 is not inserted among the four through holes 19 as shown in FIG. 5(b). The gripping member 27 of the end effector 26 is inserted into and gripped. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the sheet piece 20 is lifted up by the support portion 25. After that, the sheet piece 20 is moved to another location or the sheet piece 20 is transplanted.

The medium 24 represents, for example, a part of a hydroponic culture medium, and represents the bottom of the container. Although not shown, liquid fertilizer is supplied to the culture medium 24. The medium 24 is not particularly limited as long as it is a medium for transplantation, including planting, and may be made of, for example, urethane, phenol resin, rock wool, or sponge.
The end effector 26 is attached to the tip of a robot arm, for example, and is a device used for grasping an object. The configuration of the end effector 26, including the configuration of the gripping member 27, is not particularly limited as long as it can grip the sheet piece 20.
Note that the end effector 26 may be used by a person.

[Second example of cultivation sheet]
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the same components as those of the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.
The cultivation sheet 11 shown in FIG. 6 is different from the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in the structure of the protective layer 16, and is otherwise the same as the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The composition is as follows.
In the cultivation sheet 11, the protective layer 16 is provided not over the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14, but only around the seeds 17. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of material required to form the protective layer 16.
In the cultivation sheet 11, for example, the seeds 17 are mixed with the liquid that will become the protective layer 16, and the liquid containing the seeds 17 is discharged to a predetermined position on the surface 14a of the medium layer 14, so that the seeds 17 are mixed with the liquid that becomes the protective layer 16. and the protective layer 16 is formed only around the seeds 17.
The cultivation sheet 11 can obtain the same effects as the cultivation sheet 10 described above.

Moreover, the above-mentioned cultivation sheets 10 and 11 can be stored and transported in a rolled form. When using the cultivation sheets 10 and 11, the sheet piece 20 can be obtained by unwinding the roll and making it into a band-like state.

The cultivation sheets 10 and 11 described above have the insertion holes 19a and 19b provided in the region 18, that is, in the four corners of the region 18 surrounded by the separation groove 15 and having a rectangular outer shape. It is not limited. Instead of the insertion hole 19a shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, an elliptical insertion hole 21 may be provided on the separation groove 15 arranged in parallel. Furthermore, in addition to the insertion hole 21 shown in FIG. 2, an elliptical insertion hole 22 may be provided on the separation groove 15 extending in a direction perpendicular to the separation groove 15 in which the insertion hole 21 is provided. The elliptical insertion holes 21 and 22 may be arranged with their long axes aligned with the direction in which the separation groove 15 extends, that is, with the direction in which the separation groove 15 extends, and their short axes aligned with the direction in which the separation groove 15 extends ( The separation groove 15 may be arranged in alignment with the extension direction of the separation groove 15. Alternatively, one of the elliptical insertion holes 21 and 22 described above may be provided. Further, the insertion holes 21 and 22 may be arranged not on the separation groove 15 but within the above-mentioned area 18 having a quadrangular outer shape. The insertion holes 21 and 22 are not limited to an elliptical shape, but may be circular. When the insertion holes 21 and 22 are circular, a plurality of insertion holes 21 and 22 may be arranged at intervals in the separation groove 15 of the region 18 having a rectangular outer shape.

Note that the insertion holes 21 and 22 have the same configuration as the through hole 19 described above, and include the insertion hole 19a and the insertion hole 19b, but the insertion holes 21 and 22 may have a configuration without the insertion hole 19b as described above. .
Further, the through holes 19 are not limited to being provided at the four corners of the area 18 having a rectangular outer shape as described above, but the through holes 19 are provided at at least two of the four corners of the area 18 described above. 19 may be provided. In this case, two diagonal through holes 19 may be provided, or two adjacent through holes 19 may be provided.
Further, the through holes 19 may be provided at the four corners of the region 18 having a quadrangular outer shape. The insertion holes may be arranged so that two insertion holes are arranged on one side of the region 18 having a quadrangular outer shape.

FIG. 7(a) is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7(b) is a schematic perspective view showing the first example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2C is a schematic perspective view showing a third example of the separation groove of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c), the same components as those of the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The separation groove 15 has a configuration in which it penetrates the support 12 and does not reach the culture medium layer 14 as shown in FIG. 3, and a configuration in which it penetrates the support 12 and does not reach the culture medium layer 14 as shown in FIG. It is not limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 7(a), it may be configured to penetrate the culture medium layer 14 and reach the support body 12 as well. In FIG. 7A, the separation groove 15 does not penetrate the support 12.
Alternatively, for example, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the culture medium layer 14 may be provided with separation grooves 15, but the support body 12 may be provided with no separation grooves 15.
Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 7(c), a configuration may be adopted in which separation grooves 15 are provided in the support body 12 and the culture medium layer 14, respectively. In FIG. 7(c), the separation groove 15 of the support 12 does not reach the culture medium layer 14. Furthermore, the separation groove 15 of the culture medium layer 14 does not reach the support 12 . In FIG. 7(c), the separation groove 15 does not penetrate through the support 12 and the culture medium layer 14.

The separation grooves 15 of the support 12 and the separation grooves 15 of the culture medium layer 14 may both be continuous linear as described above, or may be discontinuous linear like perforations. Alternatively, a combination of a continuous linear shape and a discontinuous linear shape such as a perforation may be used.
When the separation grooves 15 are discontinuous and linear like perforations as described above, the positions of the grooves are aligned in the direction in which the separation grooves 15 extend between the support body 12 and the culture medium layer 14. Good too. Moreover, the positions of the grooves may be shifted between the support body 12 and the culture medium layer 14 in the direction in which the separation grooves 15 extend.

[Third example of cultivation sheet]
In the first example of the cultivation sheet and the second example of the cultivation sheet described above, the separation groove and the insertion hole are provided, but the invention is not limited to this, and the insertion hole also serves as the separation groove. But that's fine.
FIG. 8(a) is a schematic plan view showing a third example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic plan view showing the first example of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a typical plan view showing a modification of , and (c) is a typical plan view showing a 2nd modification of the 3rd example of the cultivation sheet of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 8(a) to 8(c), the same components as the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the sheet piece 20 shown in FIG. . Further, in FIGS. 8(a) to 8(c), illustration of the protective layer 16 (see FIGS. 1 to 3) is omitted.
The cultivation sheet 11a shown in FIG. 8(a) has a plurality of insertion holes 28 for separating the cultivation sheet 11a into a plurality of sheet pieces 20. For example, in FIG. 8(a), the insertion holes 28 are provided along two orthogonal directions. The insertion holes 28 are arranged so that two insertion holes 28 are arranged on one side of the rectangle.
The supports 12 (see FIG. 2) in the predetermined regions 18 of the cultivation sheet 11a demarcated by the insertion holes 28 each support roots (not shown) of plants (not shown) cultivated in the medium layer 14 (see FIG. 2). It has a passage section 13 (see FIG. 2) through which a passage (not shown) passes.
A gripping member that grips the support body 12 when separating the cultivation sheet 11a into a plurality of sheet pieces 20 (see FIG. 4) is inserted into the insertion hole 28.
Since the insertion hole 28 has the same configuration as the through hole 19 (insertion hole 19a, 19b) of the cultivation sheets 10 and 11 described above, detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

The cultivation sheet 11b shown in FIG. 8(b) and the cultivation sheet 11c shown in FIG. 8(c) have fewer insertion holes 28 than the cultivation sheet 11a shown in FIG. 8(a). However, the other structure is the same as that of the cultivation sheet 11a shown in FIG. 8(a).
In the cultivation sheet 11b shown in FIG. 8(b), insertion holes 28 are arranged so that one insertion hole 28 is arranged at each corner of a rectangle.
In the cultivation sheet 11c shown in FIG. 8(c), the insertion holes 28 are arranged so that one insertion hole 28 is arranged at the center position in the length direction of each side of the rectangle.
The cultivation sheets 11a to 11c can obtain the same effects as the cultivation sheet 10 described above.

Each structure of the cultivation sheets 10 and 11 will be described below.
<Support>
The support 12 is capable of maintaining its shape during plant cultivation, particularly during hydroponic cultivation, and maintains the strength required during transplanting and harvesting. Note that transplantation also includes permanent planting as described above.
It is preferable that the support body 12 has higher rigidity than the culture medium layer 14.
Here, high rigidity means that it is difficult to deform, and when rigidity is high, a large amount of force is required to bend it. Rigidity is expressed, for example, by a modulus of elasticity, and the higher the rigidity, the higher the modulus of elasticity. Note that the elastic modulus is a measured value. When commercially available products are used for the support 12 and the medium layer 14, the elastic modulus may be a catalog value.

When the support body 12 is handled by a machine such as the end effector 26 during transplantation and harvesting, it is necessary to have a structure suitable for gripping the support body 12.
Further, it is preferable that the support 12 can be reused or disposed of together with cultivation residues such as roots after cultivation is completed. From the viewpoint of suppressing the growth of algae or diseases, it is more preferable that the support 12 can be disposed of.
The disposable support is preferably a vegetable material, a bioplastic, or a composite containing these materials. Examples of the plant-based material include paper, wood, and materials made of hardened plant fibers, and paper is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of handling properties.
In the case of paper, high-density cardboard or water-resistant paper with high strength is preferred. Examples include ELIPLA (product name) manufactured by Daio Paper Co., Ltd. and YUPO paper manufactured by YUPO CORPORATION. It is also preferable to coat paper to improve water resistance.
In addition, when the support is reused, it is preferable that the support is made of plastic, metal, a durable plant-based material, or a composite containing these materials.

Further, the support 12 is required to have a structure for roots to emerge, and has a passage portion 13 (see FIG. 3). Further, in the case of mechanical handling, the support body 12 is required to have a structure suitable for that purpose, and has an insertion hole 19a (see FIG. 3).
The structure for the roots to emerge, that is, the passage part, can be configured with a hole such as the hole 13a (see FIG. 3) described above, or a recess. In the case of a dent, the bottom of the dent needs to be thin and strong enough for roots to penetrate. The number of holes and recesses may be one or more.
The support will be explained in more detail below.
Here, FIG. 9(a) is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9(b) is a schematic perspective view showing the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. (c) is a schematic perspective view showing a third example of the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention; (d) is a schematic perspective view showing a second example of the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention; It is a schematic plan view which shows the 4th example of the support of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention, and (e) is a schematic plan view which shows the 5th example of the support of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view, (f) is a schematic plan view which shows the 6th example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention, and (g) is a schematic plan view of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. (h) is a schematic plan view showing an eighth example of the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention; (i) is a schematic plan view showing the seventh example of the support of the cultivation sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention; It is a schematic plan view which shows the 9th example of the support body of the cultivation sheet of embodiment of this invention. In addition, in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(i), the same components as those of the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. Further, in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(i), illustration of the insertion hole 19a (through hole 19) is omitted.

The passage portion 13 of the support body 12 may have one hole 30 as shown in FIG. 9(a). If there is only one hole, make a large hole. Although the outer shape of the hole is not particularly limited, it may be, for example, a square, a circle, or a polygon.
Further, the passage portion 13 of the support body 12 may have a plurality of holes 31, as shown in FIG. 9(b). The holes 31 shown in FIG. 9(b) have a rectangular outer shape, and nine holes 31 are arranged at equal intervals.
The passage portion 13 of the support body 12 may be a recessed portion 32 as shown in FIG. 9(c). The recesses 32 have, for example, a semicircular shape, and nine recesses 32 are arranged at equal intervals. The shape of the recess 32 is not particularly limited to a semicircular shape, and may be, for example, cylindrical or quadrangular prism.
The passage portion 13 of the support body 12 may have a large hole 33 with a square outer shape in the center, and a hole 34 smaller than the hole 33 may be provided around the hole 33, as shown in FIG. 9(d). The hole 34 has a rectangular outer shape.
The passage portion 13 of the support body 12 may be provided with a plurality of circular holes 35, as shown in FIG. 9(e). The hole 35 may have a rectangular outer shape.

The passage part 13 of the support body 12 may be provided with a plurality of small holes 36 as shown in FIG. Good too. The outer shape of the hole 36 is not particularly limited, and may be circular or square.
Moreover, the passage part 13 of the support body 12 may be provided with holes 38 throughout the entire area, as shown in FIG. 9(h). In this case, in order to maintain the strength of the passage part, a reinforcing material 39 may be placed in the hole 38 and a hole 39a may be formed in the reinforcing material 39, as shown in FIG. 9(i).
When a plurality of holes are provided in the passage portion 13 of the support body 12, several to several tens of holes are provided, or an infinite number of holes or recesses are provided. The size or number of holes is not particularly limited, but is adjusted to the extent that the strength of the support can be maintained. Generally, the area ratio of the holes is preferably 10 to 90% of the total area of the passage portion of the support, and the diameter of the holes is preferably about 0.1 to 50 mm.
The area ratio of the holes and the diameter of the holes can be measured by acquiring an image of the passage portion 13 from the surface side of the support 12 and analyzing the acquired image.
The hole can be formed by punching using a cutter mold or by laser processing. Further, the holes may be formed in advance in the support, for example, when forming the cultivation sheet.
In the case of small holes or depressions, it is also possible to form the holes or depressions by pressing something like a meat tender or using a beating device. Note that even if the hole is incomplete, it is sufficient as long as it is thin enough for the roots to penetrate.

<Medium layer>
The medium layer 14 is not particularly limited as long as it can be used as a cultivation medium for plants (crops).
The medium layer 14 maintains adhesion to the support during plant cultivation, especially hydroponic cultivation, and maintains adhesion necessary during transplantation and harvesting.
If the medium layer maintains its shape by itself, it will adhere to the support as is. The medium layer, which cannot maintain its shape by itself, is wrapped in a net, cloth, paper, nonwoven fabric, etc., and adhered to the support in the wrapped state.
Examples of the material constituting the medium layer include synthetic organic artificial medium such as foamed resin such as polyester, polyurethane, and phenol. Further, examples of the material constituting the medium layer include peat-based materials such as rock wool, coconut shell, peat moss, and coco peat, natural mediums such as vermiculite, rice husk, bark, and pulp, or composites thereof.
The materials constituting the medium layer are preferably organic synthetic artificial medium (organic synthetic foam medium), pulp, rock wool, peat-based materials, and coconut shells. Pulp, urethane foam resin, and phenol foam resin are preferably used during cultivation. Pulp is more preferred because it is strong and has high shape retention, and pulp is particularly preferred because it is easy to dispose of.

<Protective layer>
The protective layer 16 retains the seeds 17 in the medium layer 14 . It also prevents the seeds 17 from drying out. The protective layer 16 may be any adhesive, binder, or spreading agent. For example, examples of adhesives include vinyl acetate resin emulsion adhesives, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer resins, (EVA) emulsion adhesives, α-olefin (isobutene-maleic anhydride resin) adhesives, Acrylic resin emulsion adhesive, styrene/butadiene rubber latex adhesive, vinyl acetate resin solvent adhesive, acrylic resin solvent adhesive, vinyl chloride resin solvent adhesive, chloroprene rubber solvent adhesive chloroprene rubber solvent-based mastic adhesive, nitrile rubber solvent-based adhesive, recycled rubber solvent-based, SBR solvent-based adhesive, urethane resin adhesive, epoxy resin adhesive, silicone resin adhesive , modified silicone resin adhesive, epoxy/modified silicone resin adhesive, acrylic resin (SGA) adhesive, starch adhesive, remer cement mortar, epoxy resin mortar, silylated urethane resin adhesive, hot melt type Examples include adhesives.
Examples of the binder include acrylic resin, polyvinyl alcohol, polyester resin, urethane resin, polyalkylene glycol, polyalkylene imine, methylcellulose, hydroxycellulose, starch, and the like.
Examples of spreading agents include carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, dextrin, water-soluble starch, xanthan gum, guar gum, sucrose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, Phospholipids (cellulose powder, dextrin, modified starch, polyaminocarboxylic acid chelate compounds, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of maleic acid and styrenes, (meth)acrylic acid copolymers, polymers made of polyhydric alcohols and dicarboxylic Examples include half esters with acid anhydrides, water-soluble salts of polystyrene sulfonic acid, paraffins, terpenes, polyamide resins, polyacrylates, polyoxyethylene, waxes, polyvinyl alkyl ethers, alkylphenol formalin condensates, synthetic resin emulsions, etc. .
Adhesives, binders, and spreading agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

<Seed>
Seeds 17 are appropriately used depending on the plant to be cultivated. The number of seeds 17 arranged in one region 18 is not limited to one seed, but may be a plurality of seeds.
Moreover, as for the variety of seeds, any variety such as leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, and root vegetables may be used, but leafy vegetables are preferable. As the leafy vegetables, spinach, komatsuna, cabbage, lettuce, mizuna, bok choy, garland chrysanthemum, mulchium, Chinese cabbage, parsley, perilla, and kale are preferred. Among these leafy vegetables, lettuce is particularly preferred.

[First example of method for producing cultivation sheet]
FIGS. 10(a) to 10(c) are schematic diagrams illustrating a first example of a method for manufacturing a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention in order of steps. In addition, in FIGS. 10(a) to 10(c), the same components as those of the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.
First, as shown in FIG. 10(a), a support 12 and a culture medium layer 14 are prepared.
Next, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the support 12 and the culture medium layer 14 are bonded together to obtain a laminate 40. In addition, for adhesion between the support body 12 and the culture medium layer 14, an adhesive or an adhesive layer is used, for example. Further, the support 12 and the culture medium layer 14 can also be bonded together by heat sealing or ultrasonic fusion.
Next, an insertion hole 19a is formed in the support 12 in the laminate 40 from the back surface 12b side of the support 12, as shown in FIG. 10(c). The insertion hole 19a is formed, for example, by punching using a cutter mold or laser processing. Note that an insertion hole 19b communicating with the insertion hole 19a may be formed in the medium layer 14, but if the insertion hole 19b is provided in the medium layer 14, light will reach the accumulated liquid fertilizer and cause algae to grow. , it is preferable that there is only the insertion hole 19a.

Separation grooves 15 are formed in the laminate 40 from the back surface 12b side of the support 12. For example, the separation groove 15 penetrates the support 12 and reaches the medium layer 14. It is assumed that if the separation groove 15 is formed in a part of the culture medium layer 14, the separation groove 15 reaches the culture medium layer 14. Furthermore, reaching the medium layer 14 means allowing until the medium layer 14 is cut by the separation groove 15 formed in the medium layer 14 .
When the support 12 has the separation grooves 15, if the proportion of the support 12 and the culture medium layer 14 connected to each other in the cross section along the direction in which the separation grooves 15 extend is too large, it becomes difficult to separate them into individual pieces. Therefore, the proportion of the part where the support body 12 and the culture medium layer 14 are connected is preferably 50% or less, more preferably 30% or less in the cross section along the direction in which the separation groove 15 extends. , more preferably 20% or less.
The separation groove 15 is formed, for example, by moving a cutter (not shown) along the formation position of the separation groove 15. The cutter may be a cutter or a rotary blade. Further, the separation groove 15 may be formed by moving the cutter or by moving the laminate 40.
Note that the order in which the insertion hole 19a and the separation groove 15 are formed is not particularly limited, and the insertion hole 19a may be formed before the separation groove 15, or the insertion hole 19a may be formed before the separation groove 15. It may be formed later.

As shown in FIG. 10(c), with the separation groove 15 and the insertion hole 19a formed, the seeds 17 (see FIG. (see). Next, a protective layer 16 that protects the seeds 17 is formed, for example, on the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14. As a result, the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is formed.
The seeds 17 are placed at predetermined positions on the surface 14a surrounded by the through holes 19 of the culture medium layer 14, for example, using a dispenser. The protective layer 16 is formed on the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14 using, for example, a slit coater or a roll coater. The protective layer 16 is not limited to being formed on the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14, but may be formed only around the seeds 17, for example.
Note that the passage portion 13 of the support 12 may be formed on the support 12 shown in FIG. 10(a), or may be formed on the support 12 in the state of the laminate 40 shown in FIG. 10(b). . If the passage portion 13 is a penetrating hole 13a (see FIG. 6), it is formed by pressing something such as a meat tender, for example. The passage section 13 may have the configuration shown in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(i) described above.

[Second example of method for producing cultivation sheet]
FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c) are schematic diagrams showing a second example of the method for manufacturing a cultivation sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention in order of steps. Note that in FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c), the same components as those of the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

First, as shown in FIG. 11(a), a support 12 in which a passage portion 13, a separation groove 15, and an insertion hole 19a are formed is prepared. The method of forming the passage portion 13, the separation groove 15, and the insertion hole 19a is the same as the first example of the method for manufacturing the cultivation sheet described above, and therefore a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 11(b), a culture medium layer 14 in which separation grooves 15 and insertion holes 19b are formed is prepared. Note that the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 is formed in alignment with the insertion hole 19a of the support body 12. Moreover, the insertion hole 19b of the culture medium layer 14 does not need to be formed.

Next, the support body 12 shown in FIG. 11(a) and the culture medium layer 14 shown in FIG. 11(b) are adhered to obtain a laminate 41 shown in FIG. 11(c). Next, as in FIG. 10(c) above, seeds 17 (see FIG. 3) are placed at predetermined positions on the surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14 surrounded by the through holes 19. Next, a protective layer 16 that protects the seeds 17 is formed, for example, on the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14. As a result, the cultivation sheet 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is formed. The protective layer 16 is not limited to being formed on the entire surface 14a of the culture medium layer 14, but may be formed only around the seeds 17, for example.
In the method for manufacturing a cultivation sheet, the configuration of the separation groove 15 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 6, and may also be the configuration of the separation groove 15 shown in FIG. 3 and FIGS. good.

[Cultivation method]
The cultivation method is a cultivation method of cultivating plants using the above-mentioned cultivation sheet.
For example, after seeds of plants (crops) are germinated and grown to a predetermined size in the state of the cultivation sheet 10, the cultivation sheet 10 is separated into individual pieces to obtain the sheet pieces 20. The cultivation sheet 10 is easy to separate into pieces as described above. The gripping member 27 of the end effector 26 is inserted into the through hole 19 and gripped, and the sheet piece 20 is transplanted. After transplanting the sheet piece 20, transplantation and planting are further performed in accordance with the growth of the plant (crop) to cultivate the plant (crop). For example, it is harvested when plants (crops) are harvested.

The present invention is basically constructed as described above. Although the cultivation sheet and cultivation method of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various improvements or changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

10, 11 Cultivation sheet 12 Support 12b Back surface 13 Passage part 13a Hole 14 Medium layer 14a Surface 15 Separation groove 16 Protective layer 17 Seed 18 Region 19 Through hole 19a, 19b, 21, 22, 28 Insertion hole 19c Hole 20 Sheet piece 24 Culture medium 25 Support part 26 End effector 27 Gripping member 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39a Hole 32 Recess 39 Reinforcing material 40, 41 Laminated body

Claims (12)

A cultivation sheet comprising a support and a medium layer disposed on the support,
having a separation groove for separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces,
The support body within a predetermined area of the cultivation sheet divided by the separation groove,
a passage through which the roots of plants grown in the medium layer pass;
A cultivation sheet having an insertion hole into which a gripping member that grips the support portion is inserted when the cultivation sheet is separated into a plurality of sheet pieces. A cultivation sheet comprising a support and a medium layer disposed on the support,
having a plurality of insertion holes for separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces,
Each of the supports in a predetermined region of the cultivation sheet demarcated by the insertion hole has a passage portion through which roots of plants cultivated in the medium layer pass;
A cultivation sheet, wherein a gripping member that grips the support portion is inserted into an insertion hole when separating the cultivation sheet into a plurality of sheet pieces. The cultivation sheet according to claim 1, wherein the culture medium layer communicates with the insertion hole of the support and has an insertion hole into which the gripping member is inserted. The cultivation sheet according to claim 1, wherein the support has at least two insertion holes. The cultivation sheet according to claim 2, wherein the support has at least two insertion holes. The cultivation sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support has higher rigidity than the medium layer. The cultivation sheet according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 4, wherein seeds are arranged in each of the medium layers in the predetermined regions of the cultivation sheet partitioned by the separation grooves. The cultivation sheet according to claim 2 or 5, wherein seeds are arranged in each of the medium layers in the predetermined regions of the cultivation sheet partitioned by the insertion holes. The cultivation sheet according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4, wherein the separation groove is provided in at least one of the support and the culture medium layer. The cultivation sheet according to claim 9, wherein the separation groove penetrates the support and reaches the medium layer. The cultivation sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the passage portion through which the roots of the plant pass has a hole or a recess through which the roots pass. A cultivation method comprising cultivating plants using the cultivation sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 5.