JPH08289671A - Seedling raising mat - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prepare a seedling raising mat by packing a fertilizer effect- adjusting type fertilizer in an amount required for culture to form into a hollow nonwoven fabric, etc., composed of a water-soluble polymer, etc., into a ribbon- like shape, knitting it into a mat state, having no concentration disorder such as longitudinal over growth and fertilizer blight and lightening manuring and topdressing operations. CONSTITUTION: A fertilizer effect-adjusting type fertilizer such as a coated fertilizer, etc., in an amount required for culture is packed into a hollow nonwoven fabric or a film composed of a water-soluble polymer such as PVA, etc., or a biodegradable polymer to form into a ribbon-like shape and the ribbon- like material is knitted into a mat. The elution amount from the seedling raising amt eluted in an initial elution controlling period is preferably 0.5-10wt.% based on the whole fertilizer amount.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seedling raising mat to which an amount of fertilization-controlling fertilizer required for cultivation is added. More specifically, a fertilization control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is wrapped with a nonwoven fabric or a film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer and fixed in a string, and the string-like material is knitted in a mat or Alternatively, the present invention relates to a nursery mat fixed on a mount or a sheet-shaped water retaining material.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems] At present, when the number of people working in agriculture is decreasing and the population is aging, preparations for raising seedlings such as soil drying, sterilization, mixing with pesticides and fertilizers, filling seedling raising containers, etc. The work and the additional fertilization work from the seedling raising to the harvest place a heavy burden on the farmer, and labor saving in these series of farm work has been strongly desired. In order to reduce the above-mentioned work, a nursery bed using a water retaining material, covering soil for raising seedlings,
Formed seedling raising materials such as nursery blocks (Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 49-0263)
36, JP-A-54-130309, JP-A-1-09.
No. 8421 and JP-A-5-268842) have been developed. These materials are very effective in terms of raising seedlings, but the manufacturing method is to dry the slurry-holding water-retaining material and solidify it by pressing, or add a water-soluble adhesive such as starch or PVA and dry-mold it. It is done by doing.
In all of these molding steps, a step of drying the added water is required, and it takes an enormous amount of energy and a long drying time to dry the water having a large latent heat of vaporization, which is not an economical material. Further, a method using an organic solvent having a small latent heat of vaporization as a solvent can be considered, but there are concerns about problems of working environment and environmental pollution due to leakage of the organic solvent into the atmosphere. Even if these problems are solved, the cost for solving them will be enormous. Further, as disclosed in JP-B-61-058439 and JP-A-1-263319, when seeds or fertilizers are added to the seedling-raising material, dissolution or elution of the fertilizer occurs when water is added. At the beginning, the fertilizer shape and function at the time of addition cannot be retained. Especially when all of the fertilizer required from seedling raising to harvest, or when adding a large amount of coated fertilizer to the seedling raising material, there is water, and the initial strict elution control function is lost under heated conditions, A large amount of fertilizer was eluted during the drying process, resulting in concentration problems such as overheating and burning of fertilizer. It was also noticeable when seeds were added to the seedling raising material in advance.

[0003]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a water-adhesive agent containing water or water in a seedling-growing bed, seedling-growing soil, seedling-growing block or other shaped seedling-growing material containing an amount of a fertilization-controlling fertilizer necessary for cultivation. A seedling raising material that can be formed without using an adhesive containing a solvent and without heating, and can reduce seedling preparation preparation work and topdressing work in this field without causing concentration problems such as overheating and burning of fertilizer. To provide.

[0004]

The present invention has the following constitutions 1 to 14. (1) Raising seedlings in which a fertilizer control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is wrapped in a hollow non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer to form a string, and the string is knitted in a mat shape. mat. (2) The amount of fertilizer control type fertilizer required for cultivation is wrapped in a hollow non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer, and a string-shaped product is fixed to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. Nurturing seedling mat. (3) After packing the amount of fertilizer control type fertilizer required for cultivation in a tape-like non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer into a string, the package is highly water-soluble or biodegradable. A seedling-growing mat, which is formed by stitching a thread made of molecules into a string shape and knitting the string-like material in a mat shape. (4) After packaging an amount of a fertilizer control type fertilizer necessary for cultivation with a tape-shaped nonwoven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer, the package is made with a water-soluble or biodegradable thread A seedling-growing mat, which is formed into a sewn string and is fixed to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. (5) A quantity of fertilizer control type fertilizer necessary for cultivation is packaged in a tape-shaped nonwoven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer, and one or more water-soluble or raw fertilizers are placed on the packaging. A seedling raising mat obtained by winding a decomposable thread to form a string and knitting the string-like material into a mat. (6) A quantity of fertilizer control type fertilizer necessary for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-like non-woven fabric or a film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer in a string shape, and one or more water-soluble ones are placed on the packaging. A seedling-raising mat obtained by winding a biodegradable or biodegradable thread to form a string and fixing the string to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. (7) The amount of fertilizer control type fertilizer required for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer in a string shape, and both sides of the tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film are bonded together. A seedling raising mat made by knitting a string-like object into a mat. (8) The amount of fertilizer controlled fertilizer required for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer into a string shape, and both sides of the tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film are bonded. A seedling-growing mat made by fixing a string-like object to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. (9) A seedling-growing mat in which a water-soluble or biodegradable thread is used for either one of the warp thread or the weft thread, and a string-like material containing a fertilization-controlling fertilizer as a warp or weft is used in a mat shape. . (10) 1 to 9 above, wherein the fertilizer control type fertilizer is a coated fertilizer
The nursery mat described in. (11) The seedling-growing mat according to (10) above, which uses a coated fertilizer having an initial elution suppression period in which the elution period of the fertilizer component is at least a seedling raising period or more, and an elution period thereafter. (12) The amount of elution during the initial elution control period is 0.5 of the total fertilizer
The seedling raising mat according to 11 above, which is 10 wt%. (13) The seedling-growing mat according to any one of 1 to 12 above, wherein the mat has a flat plate shape. (14) The seedling-growing mat according to any one of 1 to 12 above, wherein the mat has a conical shape.

The structure and effects of the present invention will be described in detail below. Fertilization control type fertilizers used in the present invention include acetaldehyde condensed urea, isobutyraldehyde condensed urea, formaldehyde modified urea, oxamide, guanylurea and other slow-release synthetic organic fertilizers, thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, sulfur. Examples include coated granular fertilizer in which granular fertilizer is coated with a coating material such as. The fertilizer to be used as the coated granular fertilizer is a granular product, but its type is not limited. That is, known chemical fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium salt, ammonium nitrate,
It is a fertilizer such as urea, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate, and lime phosphate, or a compound fertilizer combining two or more of these. Especially when a large amount of fertilizer is used from the seedling raising period to the harvest, there is a time limit that has an initial dissolution suppressing period that is at least a seedling raising period or longer during the entire period of fertilizer component elution, and a subsequent dissolution period. The adoption of elution type coated fertilizer is extremely effective. The time-eluted coated fertilizer is the most recommended fertilizer because the elution during the seedling raising period, which does not require much fertilizer, is suppressed to a very small amount, and the fertilizer concentration disorder during the seedling raising period is extremely unlikely to occur.

The fertilization-controlling fertilizer used for the seedling raising mat of the present invention is usually transplanted to Honda or this field in a state where it is accompanied by seedlings or middle seedlings by a transplanter. It is natural that the elution of C. should be controlled so as to match the nutrient absorption characteristics of the crop, and should be determined depending on the variety and cultivation method. The fertilizer components required during the seedling raising period are secured by the elution amount of the fertilization-controlling fertilizer, but depending on the variety and cultivation method, chemical fertilizers and the like may be used in combination as long as the growth of the seedlings is not hindered. Furthermore, in varieties and cultivation methods that require maintenance of physical conditions such as water content in the seedling box, those with an initial dissolution suppression period should be used, and those that are carried in the seedling raising mat should be only the top-fertilizer content and nitrogen. Before fertilization, phosphoric acid and potassium are
Alternatively, it may be applied to Honda at the time of transplantation.

The resin film or nonwoven fabric used in the present invention comprises a water-soluble resin or a biodegradable polymer. As the water-soluble polymer, synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene oxide and polyamide, a mixture of water-soluble synthetic polymer and starch, cellulose and gelatin are used. The biodegradable polymer means poly-hydroxy-alkylpropionic acid,
Poly-hydroxy-alkyl acetic acid, poly-caprolactone, poly-hydroxy-carboxylic acids such as copolymers of aliphatic carboxylic acid and glycol, copolyester ether, copolyester amide, copolyester carbonate, copolyester urethane and the like, Natural biodegradable polymers such as cotton, linen and silk are used. The thread used in the present invention is made of a water-soluble or biodegradable substance. For example, ordinary cotton thread, silk thread, hemp thread may be used, or a water-soluble substance such as polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene oxide, a synthetic polymer such as polyamide, a mixture of a water-soluble synthetic polymer and starch, and cellulose. Alternatively, a thread made of gelatin or the like may be used. Furthermore, poly-hydroxy-carboxylic acids such as poly-hydroxy-alkyl propionic acid, poly-hydroxy-alkyl acetic acid, poly-caprolactone, copolymers of aliphatic carboxylic acid and glycol, which are biodegradable substances, Polyester ether, copolyester amide,
A thread made of copolyestercarbonate, copolyesterurethane or the like may be used. Furthermore, as long as the original functions such as water solubility and biodegradability are not impaired for physical property control, the constituent material of the yarn is a water-insoluble or non-biodegradable material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or vinylidene chloride. Even blends with materials can be used in the present invention. The water-soluble or biodegradable material used for the film or non-woven fabric or thread used in the present invention is preferably one that dissolves or decomposes during the seedling raising period, and is transplanted to the main field by a transplanting machine such as paddy rice. In this case, it is necessary to have solubility or decomposability to such an extent that it is destroyed by the mechanical force.

The seedling-growing mat of the present invention is obtained by putting the fertilizer in a nonwoven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer, or by wrapping it into a string, knitting it, or mounting it in a sheet or sheet. It is made into a mat by fixing it to a material. As a method for forming a string, a method of filling the fertilizer into the nonwoven fabric or film having a required length, which is hollow with a space for filling the granular fertilizer, or a tape shape (flat string shape) It is recommended to wrap it with the non-woven fabric or film and sew the overlapping portions on both sides of the tape with a water-soluble or biodegradable thread, or wrap it and wrap one or more threads from the top. In addition, the overlapping portions on both sides of the tape may be joined with an adhesive to form a string as long as the function of the seedling raising mat of the present invention is not impaired. However, when an adhesive is used, the adhesive contains water and an organic solvent, so that the amount used must be so small as to prevent the function of the fertilizer from being impaired (a very small amount). As a method of forming a mat, there is a method of knitting the string-shaped material produced by the above method as warp threads and weft threads. When the string is thick and it is difficult to knit both the warp and the weft, it is possible to use either the warp or the weft as a water-soluble or biodegradable thread.
Further, a method of fixing the above string-like material on a mount or a sheet-shaped water retaining material is also a recommended method.

The fixing method is not particularly limited, but a method of sewing with a water-soluble or biodegradable thread is recommended. Further, it may be fixed with an adhesive as long as the function of the present invention is not impaired. However, when an adhesive is used, the adhesive contains water and an organic solvent, so that the amount used must be so small as to prevent the function of the fertilizer from being impaired (a very small amount).

The mount used in the present invention does not refer to only so-called paper, but refers to any sheet having a thickness and having water solubility or biodegradability. The material of the mount is not particularly limited, for example, newspapers and other papers in general, poly-hydroxy-alkyl propionic acid, poly-hydroxy-alkyl acetic acid, biodegradable resin film such as poly-caprolactone, further Water-soluble resin films such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene oxide can be used. To control the physical properties, if it does not impair the original functions such as water solubility and biodegradability, it should be blended with a non-water-soluble or non-biodegradable material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or vinylidene chloride. Even if it exists, it can be used in the present invention.

The sheet-shaped water-retaining material used in the present invention may be a solid water-retaining material formed into a sheet, or may be a mat-shaped fiber. The solid water retention material used here is natural organic substances such as wood chips, pulp dregs, linters, peat moss, water moss, sponge-like synthetic organic polymers, foam materials, inorganic porous substances such as perlite and vermiculite, and particles with large water capacity. Alternatively, it is one or a mixture of two or more of powdery soil, fibrous substances such as paper and pulp sludge, and non-woven fabric composed of natural fibers and natural and synthetic fibers.

The seedling-growing mat of the present invention is not limited to a flat-plate-shaped one, but may be in the shape of a pot used for raising strawberries or melons, or in a conical shape so that it can be put into a plug-raising box for leafy vegetables. Is also good.

When the fertilizer component of an amount required for cultivation is added as a fertilizer control type fertilizer without wrapping the fertilizer in the non-woven fabric or film, if the seedling management temperature is higher than planned, The amount of fertilizer more than the setting elutes, showing a tendency to increase, but in the present invention, since the material such as fertilizer is wrapped with the nonwoven fabric or film, it takes time until the amount of fertilizer goes out, It also has the ability to mitigate the tendency to grow up, which is one of the effective functions of the present invention.

In addition to the above-mentioned various materials, the seedling-growing material of the present invention may also contain a herbicide, a fungicide, an insecticide, and an agricultural chemical such as a plant growth regulator having a dwarfing effect, depending on the purpose.
Furthermore, seeds can be added. Since the seedling raising mat of the present invention is molded without using an adhesive containing water or water, or an adhesive containing an organic solvent, and further without heating, germination damage and subsequent seeding are particularly likely when seeds are added. It is especially recommended as it has no effect on growth.

[0015]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Preparation Example Comparative Example 1 450 g (corresponding to 180 g of nitrogen) of coated urea (LPSS100 manufactured by Chisso Corporation, nitrogen content 40 wt%) having an elution curve in water at 25 ° C. as shown in FIG. 1 and calcined vermiculite (apparent specific gravity) : 0.1) 600 ml of a mixture was added and mixed with 100 ml of a 2% solution of polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of 90% or less, and then a length of 28 cm,
It was put in a wooden frame having a width of 58 cm and a depth of 10 cm, was molded by applying a pressure of about 5 to 10 kg / cm ² with a compression molding machine, and was dried at a temperature of 80 to 90 ° C.

Production Example 1 Production of string fertilizer LPSS manufactured by Coated Urea (Chisso Corporation) used in Comparative Example 1
100, nitrogen component 40 wt%) 450 g (nitrogen 180 g
Equivalent) is wrapped with a tape-shaped non-woven fabric made of cotton linter with a width of 20 mm so that the coated fertilizer is not separated in one row, and the overlapping parts on both sides of the tape-shaped non-woven fabric are sewn together with a polyvinyl alcohol thread, A string-like material fixed so as not to spill was prepared. 1. Weaving a string fertilizer as a weft and a polyvinyl alcohol yarn as a warp, 27.5 cm long, 57.5 cm wide
Of the flat mat. 2. The seedling raising material produced in Production Example 1 is cut into a length of 27.5 cm, and sewn and fixed with a thread made of polyvinyl alcohol so as to be lined up on a polyethylene oxide film having a length of 27.5 cm and a width of 57.5 cm without any gaps. did. 3. The seedling raising material produced in Production Example 1 is 27.5 cm in length, 57.5 cm in width, 80 wt% pulp fiber with a thickness of 1 cm, polypropylene / polyethylene composite fiber (Chisso Polypro Fiber Co., Ltd., trade name: Chisso ES fiber) 20 wt% They were sewn and fixed with a thread made of polyvinyl alcohol so that they would be lined up on the mat made of No. 3 without any gap.

Seedling raising test Comparative example section The seedling raising mat produced in Production Comparative Example 1 was put into a conventional seedling raising box for paddy rice (length 28 cm, width 58 cm, depth 3 cm) and used. Example ward 1. The seedling raising mat produced as a trial in Production Example 1-1 was put into a conventional seedling raising box for paddy rice (length 28 cm, width 58 cm, depth 3 cm) and used. 2. The trial seedling raising mat produced in Production Example 1-2 was laid in a conventional seedling raising box for rice paddies (length 28 cm, width 58 cm, depth 3 cm) with baked vermiculite having a thickness of 1.5 cm, and then in Production Example 1-2. The seedling raising mat that was made on trial was placed and used. 3. The seedling raising mat produced as a trial in Production Example 1-3 was put into a conventional seedling raising box for paddy rice (length 28 cm, width 58 cm, depth 3 cm) and used. Germination paddy 1 in Comparative Example Ward and Example Ward 1-3
After sowing 00g / box (variety: Hinohikari), cover the soil with 1kg of granular soil containing 0.5mg each of N, P ₂ O ₅ and K ₂ O as fertilizers for raising seedlings, and control the temperature inside the room after watering. In a glass house (location: Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture), seedlings were raised according to the conventional seedling management.

Control zone Furthermore, diluvial ash soil (maximum water capacity 120
%, Particle size of 2 mm or less), ammonium sulfate (13-13-1)
3) was mixed in an amount corresponding to 1 g as N per seedling raising box, and used as a control. In addition, during the seedling raising period
3) was applied twice with 0.5 g as N per seedling box. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0020]

[Table 1]

In the comparative example group, the urea in the coated fertilizer was likely to be eluted during the molding (during the drying time), and an extreme tendency was observed. In Examples 1 and 2, since there was no water in the production and heating was not performed, the function of the coated fertilizer was not abnormal, and the expected seedling raising results (equivalent to the control) were obtained.

Cultivation test in Honda Using the seedlings obtained in the seedling raising test and the seedlings raised by the conventional method without using a separate nursery mat, transplanting to Honda with a conventional rice transplanter (Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture) Fukagawa) went. In the control section, ammonium sulfate (10-20-20) was used as a basic fertilizer, and N per 10 ares was 4 kg (P ₂ O ₅ : 8 kg, K ₂ O:
(8 kg) All layers were fertilized, and in the control group, as an additional fertilizer, ammonium sulfate (N: 21%) was applied twice with 2.7 kg each as N. In Examples 1 and 2, at the time of basic fertilization, phosphorus sulfate ammonium (4-22-22) was set to 1.4 per 10 ares and 1.4.
6 kg (P ₂ O ₅ : 8 kg, K ₂ O: 8 kg) was applied, and no additional fertilization was performed thereafter. May 11 in this test
Seeding was carried out on the day, transplanting was carried out on June 10, and harvesting was carried out on October 15. The test scale was 10 ares per ward, and 30 seedling raising boxes were used per 10 ares. Cultivation density is 30 cm x 15 cm
(2.2 strains / m ² ). The results of cultivation are shown in Table 2.

[0023]

[Table 2]

In each of Examples 1, 2, and 3, the growth after rooting was good, and the heading was 2-3 days earlier than that of the control. The fine brown rice weight index increased from 108 to 113 when the control group was set to 100, and the inspection grade was equal to or higher than that of the control group. As described above, the seedling raising material of the present invention, by raising the amount of fertilization effect control type fertilizer necessary for cultivation, raising seedlings, and omitting the complicated additional fertilizing work in Honda, and yet obstruction such as length and fertilizer burning. It is clear that it is possible to grow stable and healthy and uniform seedlings without causing this, and it is also possible to reduce the amount of fertilizer application by increasing the utilization rate of fertilizer components.

[0025]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION From the above description, whether the amount of fertilizer controlled fertilizer necessary for cultivation is stringed with a non-woven fabric or a film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer is knitted into a mat or not. Or, the seedling-growing mat of the present invention fixed to a mount or a sheet-shaped water retaining material makes the functions of each of the seedling-raising materials including fertilization-controlling fertilizers and seeds compatible with each other without compromising at all. This has made it possible to significantly reduce seedling preparation work and additional fertilization work in this field without causing concentration problems.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an elution curve of LPSS100 manufactured by Chisso Corporation at 25 ° C. in water.

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. An amount of fertilizer control type fertilizer required for cultivation is wrapped in a hollow nonwoven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer to form a string, and the string is knitted into a mat. Become a nursery mat. 2. A mount or sheet-shaped water-retaining material obtained by wrapping a fermenting-controlled fertilizer in an amount required for cultivation in a hollow non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer and forming a string. A fixed seedling mat. 3. A fertilizer control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-like non-woven fabric or a film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer into a string, and then the package is water-soluble or biodegradable. A seedling-raising mat obtained by forming a string-like sewn together with a thread made of a functional polymer and knitting the string-like material into a mat. 4. A tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer is packaged with an amount of a fertilization-controlling fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation, and the package is made water-soluble or biodegradable. A seedling-raising mat obtained by forming a string-like sewn string with a thread and fixing the string-like material to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. 5. A fertilizer control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is packaged in a tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer, and one or more water-soluble ones are placed on the packaging. Alternatively, a seedling raising mat obtained by winding a biodegradable thread to form a string and knitting the string-like material into a mat. 6. A fertilizer control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-like non-woven fabric or a film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer in a string shape, and further, 1 from the top of the package.
A seedling raising mat obtained by winding at least one water-soluble or biodegradable thread into a string shape and fixing the string-like material to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. 7. A fertilizer control type fertilizer in an amount necessary for cultivation is wrapped in a tape-shaped nonwoven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer in a string shape, and both sides of the tape-shaped nonwoven fabric or film are overlapped. A mat for raising seedlings, which is formed by knitting a string-like material that is adhered to a mat. 8. A taper-shaped non-woven fabric or film made of a water-soluble or biodegradable polymer is wrapped in a string shape with an amount of fertilizer control type fertilizer required for cultivation, and both sides of the tape-shaped non-woven fabric or film are overlapped. A seedling-growing mat obtained by fixing a string-shaped material that is adhered to a mount or sheet-shaped water retaining material. 9. A mat is woven by using a water-soluble or biodegradable thread for one of the warp threads and the weft thread, and using a string-like material containing a fertilization-controlling fertilizer as the warp or weft on the other side. Nursery mat. 10. The seedling-growing mat according to claim 1, wherein the fertilization-controlling fertilizer is a coated fertilizer. 11. An initial dissolution suppressing period of a coated fertilizer, wherein a fertilizer component dissolution period is at least a seedling raising period or longer,
11. The seedling raising mat according to claim 10, which comprises a coated fertilizer having a subsequent elution period. 12. The seedling-growing mat according to claim 11, wherein the amount eluted during the initial elution suppression period is 0.5 to 10 wt% of the total fertilizer. 13. The mat is flat in shape.
To 12). 14. The mat according to claim 1, wherein the mat has a conical shape.
To 12).