JPH07135864A - Hydroponic culture method and hydroponic culture apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a hydroponic culture method and apparatus capable of improving the nutrient supplying efficiency of the culture solution to enable the cultivation in increased production efficiency, preventing the root rot and enabling sufficient absorption of oxygen from the air through the root. CONSTITUTION:A root system (a) of an objective plant A is inserted into a planting hole 2 of a water tank 1 having a pressure-resistant closed structure. A ring-shaped packing material 3 made of swollen highly water-absorbing resin is airtightly placed between the root and the hole. Another water tank 4 is placed near and under the water tank 1. These tanks 1 and 4 are connected with each other through a water-channel 6 provided with a pump 5 capable of supplying the culture solution B under pressure. The tanks 1,4 are further connected through the 1st water-return channel 8 via an electromagnetic valve 7 and the 2nd water-return channel 10 via a regulator valve 9. The cultivation of a plant can be performed in high production efficiency by pressing the culture solution into the water tank 1. The solution is transferred between the tank 1 and the tank 4 at prescribed time interval to alternately contact the root with the culture solution B and air.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation method and a hydroponic cultivation apparatus used for the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hydroponics using a cultivation liquid containing nutrients suitable for growing plants instead of soil allows cultivation to be carried out indoors unaffected by the weather and has stable quality. Since it can grow good plants, it is widely used as a method for cultivating food plants and garden plants.

In the conventional hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus,
On the liquid level of the upper surface open container or the long cultivation groove, a supporting member made of styrofoam or the like is attached, and a hole for supporting the circumference of the stem by inserting the root system which is the underground part of the plant to be cultivated into this supporting member is provided. It was formed and the plant was inserted into this hole, and the cultivation liquid was contained in the container or the cultivation so that the cultivation liquid was brought into contact with the root system of the plant.

[0004] As a method for applying the cultivation liquid, a circulation method in which the cultivation liquid is circulated, a flow-down method in which the solution is discarded after contact with the roots, or a spray method in which an appropriate amount is sprayed onto the roots is generally used. .

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional hydroponic cultivation method and device, it cannot be said that the efficiency in which the nutrients in the cultivation liquid are absorbed by the roots of the plant is sufficiently enhanced. There is a problem that the growth rate of plants and the harvest rate of fruits are not sufficient and diseases due to malnutrition are likely to occur.

Further, the conventional hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus have a problem that root rot is likely to occur because the root system of the plant is constantly immersed in the liquid, and oxygen cannot be sufficiently supplied to the root.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and enables the hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus to more efficiently supplement the nutrients with the cultivation liquid, thereby improving the production efficiency and enabling cultivation. The objective is to prevent root rot and to absorb oxygen in the air from the roots sufficiently.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, an annular gap made of a highly water-absorbent resin is provided in the planting hole of a water tank having a pressure-proof sealed structure having a planting hole. After inserting the root system of the plant to be cultivated through the filling material, the gap filling material is swollen to close the gap between the planting hole edge and the plant body, and the cultivation liquid is stored in the water tank of the pressure-tight sealed structure. The method of cultivating by pressing in was adopted.

In addition, after the root system of the plant to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole of the water tank having a pressure-tight sealed structure having the planting hole through an annular gap filler made of a superabsorbent resin, a gap is formed. The filling material is swollen to seal the gap between the planting hole edge and the plant body, and the cultivation liquid is press-fitted into the water tank of the pressure-resistant sealed structure,
For this cultivation liquid, it is possible to adopt a cultivation method in which a water tank having a pressure-tight sealed structure and a water tank separately provided are moved at predetermined intervals so that the roots of plants are brought into contact with air or the cultivation liquid intermittently.

As a device suitable for the above-mentioned cultivation method, the root system of the plant to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole of the water tank having a pressure-proof closed structure having the planting hole, and the inner edge of the planting hole is also inserted. An airtight ring-shaped gap filling material made of swollen super absorbent resin in the gap between the plant and the plant is provided, and a separate water tank is provided in the vicinity of the pressure-tight sealed water tank. The above-mentioned cultivation liquid is connected to the other water tank by a water supply passage with a pump capable of being pressure-fed, and these water tanks are connected by a return water passage via an operation valve.

[0011]

In the hydroponic cultivation method according to the present invention, the gap filling material made of the highly water-absorbent resin that has come into contact with the cultivation liquid filled in the water tank of the pressure-tight sealed structure is swollen to swell the planting hole and the plant. The gap with the body is airtightly closed, and the elastic force holds the plant so as not to damage it. Then, when the cultivation liquid is pressed into the water tank, the cultivation liquid can be brought into contact with the roots of the plants to be cultivated inserted into the water tank under pressure.

Further, in the method of transferring the cultivation liquid from one water tank to the other water tank provided separately at predetermined time intervals,
In addition to the actions described above, the roots of the plant can be intermittently contacted with air or a liquid for cultivation, so that the roots of the plant are not exposed to excessive water and are not damaged, and sufficient oxygen is absorbed from the roots. can do.

Further, in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to the present invention,
When pressure-sealing the cultivation liquid from a separately installed water tank into a water tank with a pressure-tight sealed structure, the required pressure is hermetically sealed by adjusting the amount of water flowing through the operation valve of the return water channel. It can be loaded into the aquarium of the structure. When the pump is stopped and the operation valve is fully opened or the pump is rotated in the reverse direction, the cultivation liquid is transferred to a separately provided water tank, and the root of the plant to be cultivated can be exposed to the air.

[0014]

Examples The gap filling material used in the hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus of the present invention is a super absorbent polymer having a property that water is not easily discharged even after receiving an external pressure after absorbing water, and other suitable thermoplastic resin. It is a mixture with a resin.

The superabsorbent polymer is a water-insoluble three-dimensional network structure obtained by slightly bridging a polyelectrolyte having an ionic group. In the polymer electrolyte, when water is absorbed, the polymer chain of the ionic group (hydrophilic group) expands, and the repulsion between the ions of the polymer electrolyte tends to expand the network. On the other hand, the bridging structure not only suppresses the force to expand the mesh, but also serves to prevent the water taken in the mesh from escaping.

Specific examples of the super absorbent polymer include a polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked product, a sodium acrylate-vinyl alcohol copolymer, a sodium polyacrylate crosslinked product, and an N-substituted acrylamide crosslinked product.

As the thermoplastic resin to be mixed with the super absorbent polymer, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride or the like can be used as long as it can be prepared to have a hardness (JIS A) of about 50 degrees. The blending ratio at the time of mixing is 95: 5 to 80:20 for thermoplastic resin: super absorbent polymer.
Within the range (weight ratio), the volume change after water absorption is 120
It becomes -180% and it is preferable.

Here, the volume change rate of the gap filling material 5 is 1
If it is less than 20%, the tightening of the stem part of the plant becomes insufficient, and the liquid tightness becomes low, which is not preferable. Also, 18
A high swelling property of more than 0% is not preferable because the plant is damaged by the tightening pressure.

The pressure of the cultivation liquid to be pressed into the water tank is not particularly limited, but the pressure calculated by the following trial calculation is used as a standard. That is, the required pressure for pushing up the water in the pipe by 1 m under atmospheric pressure is 0.1 kg / cm ² assuming that there is no resistance in the pipe. Moreover, since the resistance inside the plant is considered to be 0.1 kg / cm ² , the maximum height of the plant to be cultivated is 3 m, and the required pressure is 0.1 to 0.4.
It is set to kgf / cm ² .

A plurality of water tanks are required for use in the hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus adopting the method of transferring the cultivation liquid from one water tank to another water tank provided separately. The arrangement of them is not particularly limited, and another water tank may be arranged vertically or horizontally with respect to one water tank. By arranging both water tanks vertically, it is possible to easily transfer the growing liquid from the upper water tank to the lower water tank by utilizing the water level difference.

In the hydroponic cultivation method of the present invention, the timing of transferring is not particularly limited,
For example, good results are obtained even when they are transferred at intervals of 15 minutes.

Examples of plants that can be cultivated in the present invention include leaf vegetables, fruits, flowers, rhizomes and the like, which are generally horticultural targets. In addition, the liquid for cultivation has a nitrogen content, a phosphoric acid content, and a potassium content required for such plants, respectively,
It is prepared and used with water containing trace elements such as iron, manganese, and boron, and vitamins.

Embodiments of the hydroponic cultivation method and apparatus of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the embodiment, the root system a of the plant A to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole 2 of the water tank 1 having a pressure-tight structure, and the inner edge of the planting hole 2 and the plant An annular gap filling material 3 made of swollen superabsorbent resin is airtightly interposed in the gap with the body, and a water tank 4 is provided in the lower vicinity of the water tank 1, and these water tanks 1 and 4 can pump the cultivation liquid B under pressure. These water tanks 1 and 4 are connected to each other by a water supply passage 6 with a pump 5, and a second return water passage 10 via a regulating valve 9 and a first water return passage 8 via an electromagnetic valve 7.
It is connected with.

Here, the water tank 1 having a pressure-resistant structure is a long box-shaped body made of a material in which a heat insulating material 1b made of expanded polystyrene or expanded polyester is fixed on the outside of a plate material 1a made of plastic such as acrylic. The drainage groove 11 is formed on the bottom surface in the longitudinal direction, and the drainage groove 11 is inclined so that one end is lower than the other end to enhance drainage performance. Further, on the upper surface of the aquarium 1, a lid 12 having a plurality of planting holes 2 formed in a row at intervals is placed via a rubber packing 13, and a bolt embedded in a key point on the upper end surface of the side wall. The wing nut 14 is passed through and fastened and fixed.

If the water tank 1 is provided with a light-shielding sheet (not shown) overlaid on the above-mentioned molding material to enhance the light-shielding property, it will be preferable for growing rhizome vegetables. Also,
The upper surface of the drainage groove 11 is covered with a long water-permeable cover 15 to prevent roots from entering and to drain water quickly. The water permeable cover 15 is preferably made of a material in which a cloth made of water resistant synthetic fiber having a mesh capable of controlling the growth of roots and being water permeable and a metal or synthetic resin net are overlaid.

Here, the water tank 4 arranged in the lower order has substantially the same volume as that of the water tank 1 arranged in the upper order, and the pillars 16 are installed at the important points of the water tank 4 to support the water tank 1 at a height with good working efficiency. is doing.

The water supply passage 6 is formed by connecting the lower part of the water tank 4 and the upper part of the water tank 1 with a water distribution pipe 18 via a pump 5 and a filter 17, and the opening of the water distribution pipe 18 of the upper water tank 1 is connected. A pocket-type water flow adjusting chamber 19 is provided inside so that the water flow during water supply does not damage the root system a of the plant A to be cultivated. The pump 5 is intermittently operated at predetermined time intervals by a motor controlled by a timer (not shown).

The first return passage 8 connects the lower part of the water tank 1, that is, the lowest position of the end wall of the drainage groove 11 and the upper side wall of the lower water tank 4 with a water distribution pipe 22, and the operation of the solenoid valve 7 is performed. Can connect and disconnect. The solenoid valve 7 is connected to the timer so as to interlock with the operation of the pump 5.

The second water return passage 10 is formed by connecting the lid 12 and the upper surface of the lower water tank 4 with a water distribution pipe 23 via a pressure gauge 20, a regulating valve 9 and a filter 21. Then, the water distribution pipe 23 is vertically raised from the upper water tank 1 by a predetermined height, and the surplus cultivation liquid B flows down to the lower water tank 4 only when the pressure of the cultivation liquid B reaches a predetermined pressure. To maintain a constant pressure. Further, an open water distribution pipe 24 is vertically branched and installed at the downstream side of the regulating valve 9 to introduce atmospheric pressure, prevent a siphon phenomenon which is a harmful effect of the water distribution pipe 23, and stabilize the pressure in the water tank 1. It is configured to do.

Reference numeral 25 in FIG. 2 indicates a replenishing port for replenishing the cultivation liquid, and 26 indicates a cock for discarding the cultivation liquid. It is preferable to form an opening / closing port for cleaning.

To use the above-mentioned embodiment, the stem portion of the plant A to be cultivated is fitted into the planting hole 2 of the upper water tank 1 through the annular gap filling material 3, and the lower portion from the replenishment port 25 is inserted. Aquarium 4
Cultivation liquid B is supplied to the inside. At this time, the pump 5 is driven with the electromagnetic valve 7 closed, and the cultivation liquid B is pumped up from the water distribution pipe 18 to fill the water tank 1. In this state, the gap filling material 3
Absorbs the cultivation liquid B and swells, and the plant A and the planting hole 2
The air gap is closed tightly and the plant A is elastically held so as not to be damaged.

When the pump 5 is further driven for a predetermined time, an excessive amount of the cultivation liquid B is supplied to the upper water tank 1, the root system a is pressurized, and the liquid level in the water distribution pipe 23 of the second return water channel 10 rises. However, the excess cultivation liquid B exceeding the set height flows down through the water distribution pipe 23 and is returned to the lower water tank 4. The pressure in the water tank 1 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of flowing water by operating the adjusting valve 9.

Next, when the timer-controlled pump 5 is stopped, the solenoid valve 7 of the first return channel 8 is opened in conjunction with this, and all the cultivation water is drained from the drainage channel 11 through the first return channel 8. The liquid B is stored in the lower water tank 4, and the root system a of the plant A to be cultivated is exposed to the air.

By repeating the above steps, hydroponic cultivation can be carried out while alternately contacting the root system a of the cultivated plant A with the pressurized cultivation liquid B or air.

The lower water tank 4, the first return channel 8, the second
The return water channel 10 is omitted, and the cultivation water B is stored in the water tank 1 having a pressure resistant structure.
It is needless to say that the root system a can be pressurized by a well-known pressurizing mechanism that is provided with a pump and a piston to perform hydroponic cultivation.

[0036]

[Effect] As described above, the present invention holds a plant to be cultivated in an airtight manner in a planting hole of a water tank having a pressure-tight structure,
Since the cultivation liquid can be cultivated by press-fitting it into the water tank of the pressure-tight sealed structure, the nutrients can be supplied from the cultivation liquid to the plant to be cultivated more efficiently, and the production efficiency can be improved. There is.

When the cultivation liquid is transferred from one aquarium to the other aquarium, which is separately provided, at a predetermined time interval, in addition to the above effects, the root rot of the plant is less likely to occur and oxygen in the air is added to the root. There is also an advantage that it can be cultivated so that it can be fully absorbed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Water Tank 2 Planting Hole 3 Gap Filler 4 Water Tank 5 Pump 6 Water Channel 7 Solenoid Valve 8 First Return Channel 9 Regulator Valve 10 Second Return Channel 12 Lid A Plant Cultivated Plant a Root System B Cultivation Solution

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A root system of a plant to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole of a water tank having a pressure-tight sealed structure having a planting hole through an annular gap filler made of a superabsorbent resin, and then a gap is formed. Swell the filling material to seal the gap between the planting hole edge and the plant,
A hydroponic cultivation method comprising press-fitting a cultivation liquid into a water tank of the pressure-tight sealed structure for cultivation. 2. A root system of a plant to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole of a water tank having a pressure-tight sealed structure having a planting hole through an annular gap filler made of a superabsorbent resin, and then a gap is formed. Swell the filling material to seal the gap between the planting hole edge and the plant,
Cultivation liquid is press-fitted into the pressure-tight sealed water tank, and the cultivation liquid is moved between the pressure-tight sealed water tank and a separately provided water tank at predetermined time intervals so that the root of the plant is in the air or the cultivation liquid. A hydroponic cultivation method comprising contacting with the soil intermittently. 3. A root system of a plant to be cultivated is inserted into the planting hole of a pressure-tight sealed water tank having a planting hole, and high swelled in a gap between an inner edge of the planting hole and a plant body. An annular gap filler made of a water-absorbent resin is airtightly interposed, and a separate water tank is provided in the vicinity of the pressure-tight sealed water tank, and these water tanks contain the cultivation liquid contained in one water tank in the other water tank. A hydroponic cultivation device that is connected by a water supply channel with a pump that can be pumped, and these water tanks are connected by a return channel through an operation valve.