JPH0847346A - Method for cultivating plant and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a plant, having a uniform growth degree without using flexible polyurethane and good in shelf life by cultivating the plant using a water-absorbed and swollen material of specific water absorbing resin particles as a cultivation bed. CONSTITUTION:This method for cultivating a plant is to use a water-absorbed and swollen material of water absorbing resin particles (polyacrylamide-based resin particles, etc.) capable of existing in a mutually separated form even in the water-absorbed and swollen state as a cultivation bed. Thereby, sufficient air permeability can be ensured in the cultivation bed and roots of the plant are sufficiently developed to provide good growth of the plant. The cultivation bed can slowly be degraded by soil microorganisms without generating toxic gases in incineration disposal and a part thereof is effectively utilized by the plant.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method for hydroponics of plants using a synthetic resin foam having open cells (most preferably, a flexible polyurethane foam) as a cultivation bed is known (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-39217). See the bulletin). This method is widely used for cultivating cracked radish, etc.
With its widespread use, it is causing big social problems. That is, a large amount of flexible polyurethane foam that is discarded after the cultivation is becoming a new source of pollution.
That is, since soft polyurethane is a chemically stable material and does not decompose easily, it cannot be simply disposed of or landfilled. In addition, in the case of incineration, a serious problem of generating harmful cyan gas occurs.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a new hydroponics method that does not use soft polyurethane.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems As a result of intensive studies in view of the above problems in the hydroponic cultivation method for plants, the present inventors have found that water-absorbent resin particles or powders (hereinafter simply referred to as particles) are used. The idea was to use it as a medium. However, some of the water-absorbent resins are particulate in the non-water-absorbing state and exist in a separated state, but in the water-absorbing state, they are almost integrated and become lumps, which lacks air permeability and are unsuitable as a medium. It turned out to be

As a result of further research in this situation, the inventor of the present invention obtained sufficient aeration when using water-absorbent resin particles, which may exist in a water-absorbed and swollen state, as separated from each other. It has been found that the properties can be secured and the plant can be cultivated extremely well.

[0006] That is, the present invention provides the following plant cultivation method and apparatus: A method for cultivating a plant, characterized in that a water-absorbing / swelling body of water-absorbent resin particles that can exist separately in a water-absorbing state is used as a cultivation bed.

2. Item 2. The plant cultivation method according to Item 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin.

3. The main body is provided with a plurality of cultivation units partitioned by a bottom portion and a partition portion, a cultivation liquid passage hole is provided in the bottom portion of each cultivation unit, and can exist separately in a water absorbing state in each cultivation unit. A plant cultivation device containing water-absorbent resin particles.

4. 4. The plant cultivation device according to the above item 3, wherein the water absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin.

5. A kit for cultivating a plant, comprising a main body having a plurality of cultivating units partitioned by a bottom having a culturing liquid passage hole and a partition, and water-absorbent resin particles to be housed in each cultivating unit.

6. The plant cultivation kit according to Item 5, wherein the water-absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin.

The water-absorbent resin used as a material for forming a cultivation bed in the present invention is a particle having a particle size of about 1 to 4 mm (more preferably about 2 to 3 mm) in a non-water absorbing state, and a saturated water absorbing state (500 of its own weight). Up to about 600 times the water absorption) and a particle size of about 4 to 8 mm (more preferably 5 to 5).
It is particularly preferable that the particle size is about 6 mm. Such a property that the resin particles should have is that swollen gel particles do not bond with each other even in a saturated water absorption state and are in a separated or independent state from each other, and a space is present between the particles. It is present and maintains the air permeability (oxygen supply capacity for plants) and water permeability (exclusion of excess water) in the cultivation bed. The particle size of the water-absorbent resin particles should be appropriately selected according to the type of cultivated plant, but in general, when the resin particle size in a saturated water-absorbing state is too small, the size of the communication hole becomes small and The water retained in the pores reduces the air permeability and causes a problem of excessive water supply to plants due to excessive water retention. On the other hand, when the particle size of the saturated water-absorbent resin particles is too large, the porosity decreases and the specific surface area of the water-absorbent particles necessary for supplying water to the roots of the plant decreases, which is also desirable. You can't get good plant cultivation effect. Further, it is desirable that the water-absorbent resin has a particle diameter as uniform as possible. When using particles with significantly different particle diameters, the unevenness of the medium becomes large and not only a uniform appearance of vegetation cannot be obtained, but also the seed density at the time of sowing becomes uneven and the seed spacing becomes irregular. In particular, the growth of roots becomes uneven due to the expression of growth difference between individual plants, and the entanglement of roots becomes poor. Therefore, the shape of the product as a product cannot be maintained at the time of shipment, which lowers the commercial value.

The water absorbing resin is not particularly limited, but 1,2-diacrylamide ethylene glycol (DEG), N, N-diethylbenzenamine (DE)
A), a polyacrylamide resin having a cross-linking agent such as diacrylamide dimethyl ether (DAE) is preferable. Such a polyacrylamide resin is, for example, a trade name “Biogel” (manufactured by Bio-Rad Laboratories) and a trade name “Broadleaf” (manufactured by BroadLeaf Industries).
Are commercially available under.

In carrying out the method of the present invention, the water-absorbent resin particles are brought into contact with water or an aqueous fertilizer solution for cultivation to absorb and swell until they reach a saturated state, and then a bottom portion provided with a cultivation liquid passage hole is formed. It is housed in each cultivation unit of the main body (cultivation container) equipped with a plurality of cultivation units divided by the partition section, and seeds of germinated seeds are sown on the gelled resin particles that have absorbed water and swollen, and the growth state of the plant A fertilizer aqueous solution is appropriately irrigated according to the water-reduced state of the gel water-absorbent resin, and the plant is harvested when it grows to a predetermined size.

An outline of an example of the cultivation container used in the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c), which are plan views, respectively.
Shown as a side view and a front view. In FIG. 1, the cultivation container 1 is composed of a plurality of cultivation units surrounded by a bottom portion 5 having a plurality of cultivation liquid passage holes 3 and a partition portion 7. The number and size of the cultivation liquid passage holes 3 can be appropriately determined according to the size of the cultivation unit, the type of plant to be cultivated, the type and particle size of the water-absorbent resin particles, and the like.

It is preferable to provide a notch 11 on the outer wall of the cultivation container 1 to ensure sufficient circulation of air inside and above the cultivation container in order to remove cultivation heat.
In addition, it is preferable that the bottom surface of the cultivation container 1 is formed with a projection 9 that can fit inside the outer peripheral wall of the cultivation container 1 so that a plurality of cultivation containers can be stacked. Further, the cultivation container 1 may be provided with overhangs or protrusions on the outer peripheral portion for the purpose of reinforcement or the like.

The cultivating container 1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably made of expanded polystyrene, expanded polyethylene or the like.

When cultivating a plant, after the water-absorbent resin is housed in the cultivation unit, it is brought into contact with water to absorb or swell water, or the gel-like resin particles pre-absorbed or swollen are housed in the cultivation unit. , Sow the germinated seeds on it.

The above description of the cultivation container is as follows.
The present invention is not limited in any way, by using water-swollen gel resin particles, as long as the plant can be cultivated, the cultivation container used in the present invention, in terms of material, shape or structure, etc. Needless to say, there is no particular limitation.

The plant cultivated by the method of the present invention is not particularly limited, but includes sprouts, trifoliate leaves,
Examples include shellfish radish, alfalfa, and bean sprouts.

[0021]

According to the present invention, the following remarkable effects are achieved.

The water-absorbent resin used has an extremely large amount of water absorption and has a long-lasting water-holding power, so that it is possible to grow plants with a small amount of use. Therefore, the problems of the prior art using a large amount of flexible urethane foam, for example, are substantially eliminated.

The water-absorbent resin used is chemically stable and has no toxicity. Therefore, as a treatment method after use, by adding it to soil, its water retention, air permeability and the like can be improved. Further, after the disposal, the volume of the waste can be reduced because the volume is reduced to the state before the water absorption by drying. Even when added to soil, it is gradually decomposed by soil microorganisms and partially utilized effectively by plants, and the balance eventually becomes water, carbon dioxide, and a trace amount of nitrogen. Also, when incinerated, no toxic gas is generated, so there is no adverse effect on the environment.

Further, during cultivation of the plant, since adequate air permeability is ensured by the space formed between the water-absorbed and swollen gel-like resin particles, sufficient oxygen is supplied to the root portion, and the water-absorbed and swollen resin is also supplied. Roots can enter the particles. Therefore, the root of the plant is fully developed, and the growth of the plant is significantly promoted.

Since the applied fertilizer aqueous solution replaces the water in the gel-like resin particles and is absorbed and retained, the fertilizer loss is small.

The plant cultivated by the method of the present invention grows quickly and uniformly, and the plant having the optimum water content can be obtained by controlling the water supply amount.

Therefore, the plants cultivated by the method of the present invention have uniform growth levels (height or length, uniform roots, weight, etc.) and good shelf life, and therefore have a very high commercial value.

[0028]

EXAMPLES Examples are shown below to further clarify the features of the present invention.

Example 1 Shelly radish was cultivated in the following manner. Note that the water infiltration treatment and the germination treatment of seeds are known techniques.

1. Flooding treatment of seeds: In order to remove various germs, lightly stir the seeds (shelled radish B-4) 3
After being washed with water once, it was immersed in water at a temperature of 25 ° C. for 8 hours.

2. Germination treatment: The seeds that had been flooded were lightly drained, kept at a temperature of about 25 ° C and a humidity of about 95% for 20 hours, sprouting treated, and germinated (rooting) for 1 to 2 mm. At this time, attention was paid to sufficient circulation of air so that the temperature did not rise due to the heat generated during germination.

3. Seeding: 100 parts by weight of polyacrylamide resin powder (trademark "Broadleaf", manufactured by BroadLeaf Industries, average particle diameter 2.5 mm) and 14,000 water.
After saturating water in parts by weight, the cultivation unit of the cultivation container 1 shown in FIG. 1 (70 mm × 70 mm × 125 mm and diameter 5
70 ml of the water-absorbed gel-like resin particles was housed in each frame of the fertilizer solution passage holes each having 5 mm of fertilizer solution passage, and the surface thereof was made uniform, and then the seeds germinated as described above were sown.

4. Raising seedlings: After sowing, the temperature of the cultivation container is about 25.
Keep in a dark place at ℃, humidity of about 85% for 24 hours, 2-3 cm
It was grown to a certain degree. During this time, when the gel resin particles were slightly dried (normally at intervals of about 12 hours), water was sprayed to maintain the initial water retention amount of the gel resin particles.

Then, the cultivation container was gradually exposed to sunlight, the roots were sufficiently stretched, and the gelled resin particles were slightly dried (usually at intervals of about 10 hours). Liquid fertilizer "Otsuka House No. 1" and lime nitrate "Otsuka House No. 2" were mixed and diluted 700 times) while sprinkling water in a spray form, while continuing to grow seedlings to harvest the desired cracked radish. .

Table 1 shows the time required for raising seedlings before harvest, the plant height at harvest, and the number of shelf days. In Table 1, for comparison,
The results for the cracked radish obtained by the conventional method using flexible polyurethane foam as the medium are also shown. The results shown in Table 1 are average values of 20 units.

[0036]

[Table 1]

From the results shown in Table 1, the remarkable effect of the present invention is clear.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an example of a cultivation container used in the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... Cultivation container 3 ... Cultivation liquid passage hole 5 ... Bottom 7 ... Partition 9 ... Protrusion 11 ... Notch

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method for cultivating a plant, wherein a water-absorbed / swelled body of water-absorbent resin particles that can exist separately in a water-absorbed state is used as a cultivation bed. 2. The method for cultivating a plant according to claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin. 3. A main body is provided with a plurality of cultivation units partitioned by a bottom portion and a partition portion, a cultivation liquid passage hole is provided in the bottom portion of each cultivation unit, and the cultivation units are separated from each other in a water absorbing state. Plant cultivating apparatus containing water-absorbent resin particles that may exist as a result. 4. The plant cultivation device according to claim 3, wherein the water-absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin. 5. A plant comprising a main body having a plurality of cultivation units partitioned by a bottom provided with a cultivation liquid passage hole and a partition, and water-absorbent resin particles to be housed in each cultivation unit. Cultivation kit. 6. The plant cultivation kit according to claim 5, wherein the water absorbent resin is a polyacrylamide resin.