JP7445031B2 - Plant cultivation method and plant cultivation device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for cultivating plants such as tomatoes and a plant cultivating apparatus.

Tomato cultivation methods range from soil cultivation, in which seedlings are prepared in hotbeds and planted in open ground, to hydroponics, which allows production like a plant factory; for example, a hydroponic method has been proposed as hydroponics.

As this hydroponic cultivation method, Patent Document 1 discloses that approximately 250 ml of culture medium ( A technique is disclosed in which a nutrient solution is supplied to each culture medium in which tomato seedlings are planted in which soil, coconut shell, rock wool, etc.) are placed.

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, since conventional culture media (soil, coconut shell, rock wool, etc.) have relatively good water retention, the nutrient solution is irrigated 10 to 20% more than the amount of water required by the plants. Since excess liquid is prone to breeding bacteria, it was common practice to dispose of it as waste liquid. Additionally, since it is believed that slightly acidic soil is better for plant growth, the pH of the irrigation solution was adjusted to be slightly acidic.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-306849

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the excess liquid of the irrigation nutrient solution is prone to breeding of various bacteria, so it has to be disposed of as waste liquid, making it difficult to reduce the cost of cultivating plants.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for cultivating plants and a plant cultivating apparatus that can reduce costs for cultivating plants.

The method for cultivating plants according to the first aspect of the present invention is to spread a medium mainly made of coral gravel inside a container, allow plants to take root in the medium, and supply liquid fertilizer to the medium.

Preferably, the method for cultivating a plant according to claim 1 uses a tomato as the plant.
The method for cultivating plants according to the invention according to claim 2 includes spreading a medium made of coral gravel in a belt-shaped gutter placed horizontally, rooting plants in the medium at regular intervals, and watering the top of the medium. A tube is arranged, and the liquid fertilizer stored in the nutrient solution circulation tank is supplied to the medium through the irrigation tube, and the liquid fertilizer that becomes surplus due to the supply of liquid is passed through the filter cloth lined inside the gutter. The liquid fertilizer is poured into a drainage groove formed in the gutter, and the liquid fertilizer flowing into the drainage groove is returned from the end of the gutter to the nutrient solution circulation tank.

The method for cultivating plants according to the invention according to claim 3 is the method for cultivating plants according to claim 2, when the nutrient solution circulation is controlled by a decrease in water content indicated by a moisture meter installed in the culture medium or by an instruction from a timer. The liquid fertilizer returned to the tank is reused by supplying it to the medium through the irrigation tube.

The plant cultivation device according to the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that a horizontally placed belt-shaped gutter is covered with a medium made of coral gravel, plants are rooted in the medium at regular intervals, and the top of the medium is irrigated. A tube is arranged, and the liquid fertilizer stored in the nutrient solution circulation tank is supplied to the medium through the irrigation tube, and the liquid fertilizer that becomes surplus due to the supply of liquid is passed through the filter cloth lined inside the gutter. A plant cultivation device that drains liquid fertilizer into a drainage groove formed in the gutter and returns the liquid fertilizer flowing into the drainage groove from an end of the gutter to the nutrient solution circulation tank, wherein the nutrient solution circulation tank and the liquid fertilizer An adjustment tank, a first raw material liquid tank that stores a first raw material liquid, a second raw material liquid tank that stores a second raw material liquid, a liquid fertilizer mixer, a liquid fertilizer pump, a liquid fertilizer transfer pump, and an irrigation pump. and a nutrient solution device including a level sensor for detecting the level of liquid fertilizer in the nutrient solution circulation tank, an EC sensor, and a solenoid valve, and the nutrient solution device is configured to detect the level of liquid fertilizer in the nutrient solution circulation tank. When a certain amount is consumed, according to the instruction from the level sensor, the liquid fertilizer transfer pump supplies an appropriate amount of fertilizer liquid from the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank to the nutrient solution circulation tank, and when the water level in the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank decreases, In order to supply water to the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank to a predetermined position and bring the liquid fertilizer in the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank to an appropriate EC concentration, the first raw material liquid and the second raw material are mixed using the liquid fertilizer pump and the liquid fertilizer mixer. Nutrient solution control is performed by mixing the liquids and supplying the liquid fertilizer stored in the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank until it reaches an appropriate EC concentration.

The plant cultivation device according to the invention according to claim 5 is the plant cultivation device according to claim 4, further comprising a flow rate sensor that detects the flow rate of the liquid fertilizer flowing into the irrigation tube, and which is installed in the nutrient solution device. The control device controls the nutrient solution and displays the amount of liquid fertilizer supplied from the nutrient solution circulation tank to the culture medium based on the detection result of the flow rate sensor.

The plant cultivation method and plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention make it possible to reduce costs associated with plant cultivation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a method for cultivating plants according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a gutter and a filter cloth used in the plant cultivation method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is an explanatory view showing the whole facility using the plant cultivation device concerning the 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the plant cultivation device concerning the 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the nutrient solution device of the plant cultivation apparatus based on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a 1st side view which shows the nutrient solution device of the plant cultivation apparatus based on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a 2nd side view which shows the nutrient solution device of the plant cultivation apparatus based on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a 1st sectional view showing a cultivation bed and an installation base of a plant cultivation device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a 2nd sectional view showing a cultivation bed and an installation base of a plant cultivation device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, in the plant cultivation method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a medium 3 made of coral gravel is spread inside a container (gutter 2) constituting a plant cultivation apparatus 1. A plant (tomato 10) is rooted in the medium 3, and a liquid fertilizer 4 is supplied to the medium 3.

To explain in more detail, the method for cultivating the plants shown in FIG. An irrigation tube 5 is arranged above the culture medium 3, and the liquid fertilizer 4 stored in the nutrient solution circulation tank 6 is supplied to the culture medium 3 through the irrigation tube 5, and the surplus liquid fertilizer 4 is The liquid fertilizer 4 flowing into the drainage groove 8 is passed through the filter cloth 7 attached to the inside of the gutter 2 into the drainage groove 8 formed in the gutter 2, and the liquid fertilizer 4 flowing into the drainage groove 8 is passed through the drainage pipe 9 from the end of the gutter 2. The nutrient solution is returned to the nutrient solution circulation tank 6 through the nutrient solution circulation tank 6.

The irrigation pump 11 reuses the liquid fertilizer 4 returned to the nutrient solution circulation tank 6 by supplying it to the culture medium 3 via the irrigation tube 5 according to instructions from the timer 12 .
Further, the upper side of the medium 3 and the irrigation tube 5 are covered with a light-shielding sheet (light-shielding sheet 76 in FIG. 8) in which holes are formed that pass through the stems of the tomatoes 10.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a gutter and a filter cloth used in the plant cultivation method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, the gutter 2 is formed by molding Styrofoam into the shape of a belt-shaped container with an open top.

The filter cloth 7 attached to the inside of the gutter 2 is made by stacking a hydroponic black polyplastic sheet 21, a nonwoven fabric 22, a plastic net 23, and a nonwoven fabric 24 in order from the bottom. The hydroponic black polyplastic sheet 21, the nonwoven fabric 22, and the nonwoven fabric 24 are formed to cover the entire upper side of the gutter 2. The plastic net 23 is formed to have the same size as the inner bottom surface of the gutter 2.

Rock wool, which is commonly used as a conventional culture medium, requires replacing the culture medium every year and is expensive as industrial waste.
The coconut shell medium, which has become popular as a medium in recent years, is organic and changes over time, so the medium needs to be replaced every 1 to 2 years.

Conventional high-sugar content tomato cultivation uses as little liquid fertilizer (water) as possible to reduce the water absorbed by the fruit and increase the sugar content, resulting in less fruit production.
In order to solve these problems, the medium 3 made of coral gravel used in the first embodiment of the present invention is alkaline and does not change over time, making it difficult for bacteria to grow, so there is no need to replace it. there is no.

In addition, medium 3, which is made of coral gravel, has the property of making it difficult for bacteria to propagate, making it possible to improve productivity by eliminating the need for extreme water restrictions when cultivating high-sugar tomatoes.

In addition, the plant cultivation method according to the first embodiment is a closed system that recycles and uses the drained liquid of the liquid fertilizer 4, and also has equipment for sterilizing the drained liquid due to the characteristics of the culture medium 3 that makes it difficult for bacteria to propagate. Not required.

In addition, since the medium 3 formed of coral gravel used in the first embodiment of the present invention is rich in many types (70 types) of essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium, trace amounts of minerals are added during growth. It is absorbed by tomatoes and produces tomatoes with extremely high sugar content (8 to 12 degrees sugar content), making it possible to efficiently produce high-sugar content tomatoes that are in high demand in the market.

Therefore, according to the method for cultivating plants according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the cost of cultivating plants (tomatoes).

<Second embodiment>
3 to 9 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the entire facility using a plant cultivation device, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the plant cultivation device, and FIG. 6 is a first side view showing the nutrient solution device, FIG. 7 is a second side view showing the nutrient solution device, and FIG. 8 is a tagger and surroundings of the plant cultivation device. FIG. 9 is a second cross-sectional view showing the tagger and surrounding parts of the plant cultivation device.

Here, the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that in the plant cultivation devices 34, 35, 37 (see FIG. 3), moisture meters (detection sensors 71, 72, Due to the decrease in water content indicated by the liquid fertilizer 4 (see Fig. 4), the liquid fertilizer 4 (see Fig. 4) returned to the nutrient solution circulation tank 6 (see Fig. 4) is passed through the irrigation tube 5 (see Fig. 4) to the culture medium 3 (see Fig. 4). 8).

In FIG. 3, a tomato cultivation facility (plant) 30 has first to third cultivation buildings 31, 32, and 33 arranged in three rows.

The first cultivation building 31 is composed of one plant cultivation device 34. The plant cultivation device 34 includes one nutrient solution device 41 and a plurality of gutters 2, culture medium 3, irrigation tube 5, filter cloth 7, and drain pipe 9 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the second cultivation building 32 is comprised of one plant cultivation device 35 and a collection and shipping room 36. The plant cultivation device 35 includes one nutrient solution device 41 and a plurality of gutters 2, culture medium 3, irrigation tube 5, filter cloth 7, and drainage pipe 9 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the third cultivation building 33 is composed of one plant cultivation device 37. The plant cultivation device 37 includes one nutrient solution device 41 and a plurality of gutters 2, culture medium 3, irrigation tube 5, filter cloth 7, and drain pipe 9 shown in FIG.

The plant cultivation devices 34, 35, and 37 are constructed by filling a belt-shaped gutter 2 placed horizontally with a medium 3 made of coral gravel (see FIG. 8), allowing plants to take root in the medium 3 at regular intervals; An irrigation tube 5 (see FIG. 4) is arranged above the culture medium 3, and the liquid fertilizer 4 (see FIG. 4) stored in the nutrient solution circulation tank 51 (see FIG. 4) is supplied to the culture medium 3 through the irrigation tube 5. The surplus liquid fertilizer 4 is passed through a filter cloth 7 (see FIG. 8) attached to the inside of the gutter 2, and then passed through a drainage groove 8 (see FIG. 8) formed in the gutter 2. The liquid fertilizer 4 flowing into the drain groove 8 is returned from the end of the gutter 2 to the nutrient solution circulation tank 51 (see FIG. 4).

The plant cultivation device 34 will be described in detail below.
In FIG. 4, the cultivation beds 42 and 43 of the plant cultivation device 34 are a combination of the gutter 2 and the filter cloth 7 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, the nutrient solution device 41 includes a nutrient solution circulation tank 51, a liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52, an A solution tank (first raw material solution tank) 53 that stores A solution (first raw material solution), and a B solution. B liquid tank (second raw material liquid tank) 54 storing (second raw material liquid), liquid fertilizer mixer 55, liquid fertilizer pump 56, liquid fertilizer transfer pump 57, stirring pump 58, irrigation pumps 59, 60 , a drainage pump 61, a level sensor 62 that detects the level of the liquid fertilizer 4 in the nutrient solution circulation tank 51, a level sensor 63 that detects the level of the liquid fertilizer 4 in the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52, and an EC sensor (fertilizer sensor). concentration sensor) 64, flow rate sensors 65, 66 that detect the flow rate of the liquid fertilizer 4 flowing into the irrigation tube 5, display devices 67, 68 that display the detection results of the flow rate sensors 65, 66, respectively, and a solenoid valve 69. , and a control panel 70.

This C sensor (fertilizer concentration sensor) 64 measures the concentration within the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52.
Furthermore, it is preferable to measure the flow rate from the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52 to the liquid fertilizer circulation tank 51 to measure the consumption amount. This is because this makes it possible to measure consumption and the like.

The cultivation beds 42 and 43 are provided with detection sensors 71 and 72, respectively, that detect the moisture content of the culture medium 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the nutrient solution device 41, a nutrient solution circulation tank 51, a liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52, an A solution tank 53, and a B solution tank 54 are divided into one rectangular frame 50. It is provided. A diaphragm pump 73 of the liquid fertilizer mixer 55 is provided between the A liquid tank 53 and the B liquid tank 54.

FIG. 6 shows the nutrient solution apparatus seen from direction C in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the control panel 70 is attached above the nutrient solution circulation tank 51.

FIG. 7 shows the nutrient solution device viewed from direction D in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the irrigation tube 5 is provided with a 40-mesh disc filter 74 and a 120-mesh disc filter 75.
In FIG. 4, the nutrient solution device 41 is configured such that when a certain amount of liquid fertilizer 4 in the nutrient solution circulation tank 51 is consumed, the liquid fertilizer transfer pump 57 transfers the fertilizer from the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52 in response to an instruction from the level sensor 62. When the appropriate amount of fertilizer solution is supplied to the nutrient solution circulation tank 51 and the water level of the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52 decreases, water is supplied to the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52 to a predetermined position, and the liquid fertilizer 4 in the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52 is properly adjusted. In order to achieve the EC concentration, the liquid fertilizer pump 56 and the liquid fertilizer mixer 55 are used to mix the liquid A (first raw material liquid) and the liquid B (second raw liquid), and then add the liquid fertilizer to the liquid fertilizer adjustment tank 52. The liquid fertilizer 4 stored in the tank is supplied until the appropriate EC concentration is reached.

The plant cultivation device 34 controls the nutrient solution using a control device (control panel 70) installed in the nutrient solution device 41, and controls the liquid fertilizer 4 supplied from the nutrient solution circulation tank 51 to the medium 3. The supply amount is displayed based on the detection results of the flow rate sensors 65 and 66.

As shown in FIG. 8, the cultivation bed 42 of the plant cultivation device 34 is placed on an installation stand 80.
The installation stand 80 includes a plate-shaped top plate 81 and a plurality of legs 82 and 83 that support the top plate 81.

The legs 82 and 83 are extendable and retractable. In the state where the legs 82 and 83 shown in FIG. The top plate 81 and the cultivation bed 42 are in the lowest state.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the legs 82 and 83 are at their longest length (upper limit bed height), the width of the area S surrounded by the top plate 81, the legs 82 and 83, and the ground is larger than the diameter of the hot air duct 90. The height of the region S is approximately 1.5 times the diameter of the hot air duct 90, and the width of the region S is kept slightly longer than the diameter of the hot air duct 90. 42 is the highest state.

By adjusting the area S in this way, the temperature of the cultivation bed 42 can be optimized.
The cultivation device 35 of the second cultivation building 32 differs from the cultivation device 34 of the first cultivation building 31 only in the size of the cultivation bed 42 and its surrounding area, and the rest of the structure is similar to the cultivation device 34.
The cultivation device 37 of the third cultivation building 33 is similar to the cultivation device 34 of the cultivation building 31.

According to the plant cultivation devices 34, 35, and 37 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, by using the medium 3 made of coral gravel, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and the plant cultivation It becomes possible to reduce the cost of cultivating (tomatoes).

It is sufficient that the medium is mainly made of coral. In the present invention, "mainly" means that it is the largest proportion among other constituents. However, we currently believe that the more coral there is, the better.
Other ingredients may include sand, pumice, gravel, etc.
It is more preferable that other components have alkaline properties.
Other ingredients may be shells (such as scallops). In some cases, only the shell may be used. Furthermore, we believe that it is possible to make the liquid fertilizer 4 chemically alkaline.

Although the embodiment has been described in which the liquid fertilizer 4 flowing through the gutter 2 is removed from the end of the gutter 2, it is also possible to provide a discharge port for sequentially discharging it from the middle. In that case, there is an advantage that there is no slope, and the slope may be gentle. This is particularly effective when the gutter 2 becomes long.
Further, it is preferable to observe the flow rates of the irrigation pumps 59 and 60 and measure how much water is being used.
Similarly, it is preferable to observe the flow rate of the liquid fertilizer transfer pump 57.

The structure, system, program, materials, connection of each member, scientific substances, etc. of the present invention can be variously changed without changing the gist of the present invention.
The material can also be freely selected from metal, plastic, FRP, wood, concrete, etc.

For example, it is possible to combine two or more members into one, or conversely, it is also possible to configure one member from two or more other members and connect them.

Furthermore, the first and second embodiments described above are merely two of the currently best or close to it.
In addition, control may be controlled by a higher-level control section, or may be controlled by a more terminal control section.
Furthermore, the order of control can be changed as appropriate as long as it has a predetermined effect.

<Definition, etc.>
Plants to be cultivated in the present invention include, in addition to tomatoes, various vegetables and fruits such as mangoes, bananas, melons, paprika, eggplants, cucumbers, and strawberries. Further, as tomato varieties other than cherry tomatoes, the present invention can be applied to Fruit Ruby, Sicilian Rouge, Momotaro, etc. In addition to vegetables and fruits, the present invention can also be applied to plants such as grains, which should have a high sugar content.

1... Plant cultivation device 2... Gutter 3... Medium 4... Liquid fertilizer 5... Irrigation tube 6... Nutrient solution circulation tank 7... Filter cloth 10... Tomato

Claims (4)

A method for cultivating vegetables or fruits, in which vegetables or fruits are rooted in a cultivation bed in which a medium made mainly of coral gravel is spread inside a container, and liquid fertilizer is supplied to the medium, and
A cultivation method using a plant facility in which the cultivation beds are arranged in two or more rows,
In the cultivation bed, a medium made of coral gravel is spread over a horizontally placed belt-shaped gutter, vegetables or fruits are rooted in the medium at regular intervals, and an irrigation tube is placed above the medium,
Mix liquid fertilizers in liquid tanks that store two or more liquid fertilizers and adjust them to an appropriate liquid fertilizer concentration.Supply liquid fertilizer with an adjusted appropriate liquid fertilizer concentration from a liquid fertilizer adjustment tank to one liquid fertilizer circulation tank without using a culture medium. , The liquid fertilizer stored in this one nutrient solution circulation tank is supplied from the top of the medium to the cultivation beds arranged in two or more rows through the irrigation tube, and the supply becomes surplus. A method for cultivating vegetables or fruits, comprising: flowing liquid fertilizer into a drainage groove formed in the gutter through a filter cloth lined inside the gutter, and returning the liquid fertilizer flowing into the drainage groove from the gutter to the nutrient solution circulation tank. . The liquid fertilizer returned to the nutrient solution circulation tank is reused by supplying it to the culture medium via the irrigation tube in response to a decrease in water content as indicated by a moisture meter installed in the culture medium or as instructed by a timer. The method for cultivating vegetables or fruits according to item 1. A vegetable or fruit cultivation device in which vegetables or fruits are rooted in a cultivation bed in which a medium made mainly of coral gravel is spread inside a container, and liquid fertilizer is supplied to the medium, and
A cultivation device in which the cultivation beds are arranged in two or more rows,
In the cultivation bed, a medium made of coral gravel is spread over a horizontally placed belt-shaped gutter, vegetables or fruits are rooted in the medium at regular intervals, and an irrigation tube is placed above the medium,
Mixing liquid fertilizers in liquid tanks storing two or more liquid fertilizers and adjusting the liquid fertilizer concentration to an appropriate liquid fertilizer concentration; Supplying liquid fertilizer with an adjusted appropriate liquid fertilizer concentration from a liquid fertilizer adjustment tank to one liquid fertilizer circulation tank without using a culture medium; The liquid fertilizer stored in this one nutrient solution circulation tank is supplied from the top of the medium through the irrigation tube to the cultivation beds arranged in two or more rows, and the surplus liquid fertilizer is is poured into a drainage groove formed in the gutter through a filter cloth attached to the inside of the gutter, and the liquid fertilizer flowing into the drainage groove is returned from the gutter to the nutrient solution circulation tank.
Vegetable or fruit cultivation equipment. The liquid fertilizer returned to the nutrient solution circulation tank is reused by supplying it to the culture medium via the irrigation tube in response to a decrease in water content as indicated by a moisture meter installed in the culture medium or as instructed by a timer. The vegetable or fruit cultivation device according to item 3.

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