Description
CULTIVATING METHOD FOR HIGH CONTENT OF CALCIUM DROPWORT CONTAINING SELENIUM Technical Field
[1] The present invention relates to selenium-containing water dropwort with a high calcium content and a cultivation method thereof. The selenium-containing water dropwort according to the present invention is characterized in that it is cultivated by applying a shell calcium and an organic selenium together with at least one selected from a soil microorganism preparation and a peat, and additionally applying a mixture of the organic selenium and bentonite to the side of water dropwort in the growth stage.
[2] Background Art
[3] Water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica), which is native to Korea, is a perennial plant of Apiaceae and is about 30-60 cm in height. When these plants grow thick at wetland, they will be upright, but when they rarely exist, they will propagate with the occurrence of runners which spread sideways in autumn. The leaves alternate, and radical leaves have long petioles and become shorter upward. The leaves are triangular or oval in shape, 1-3 cm in length and 0.7-1.3 cm in width, and have saw teeth. In July to September, a lot of white small flowers appear at the stem end. The seeds are oval in shape and corked at the edge ridge.
[4] Water dropworts are partial to water and cultivated mainly in water. Also, they mostly grow at places always having moisture and grow well at cool temperature. Soil for the growth of these plants is preferably a rich sandy soil in which the plants can easily take root. However, these plants have strong resistance also in clay. These plants are partial to pH 6.8, and produced with good quality in a place having a sunlight shield of about 30% rather than strong sunlight.
[5] Water dropworts are seasonal vegetables with fragrant taste and frequently used as foods. These plants are also useful as medicinal herbs so that they are used as tonics, diuretics antipyretics, and therapeutic agents against jaundice, leucorrhea, hypertension or epidemic parotitis. Recently, water dropworts are known to have an effect on cancer prevention (immune cell increase).
[6] Water dropworts are rich in minerals, Vitamin A and C, and fibroid materials, and particularly, water dropworts harvested in winter are used regularly as sources of Vitamin A and C and characterized by containing calcium in an amount of 34 mg/100 g. However, water dropworts contain little or no selenium, like other vegetables
produced in Korea.
[7] Calcium is a necessary component for the constitution of the bone of the human body. Particularly for growing children, post-menopause mid-aged women with excessive loss of calcium due to physiological phenomena, pregnant women and nursing mothers, salarymen who tend to lack in calcium due to much stress and irregular eating habits, and old men, the even intake of nutrients such as vitamins, and the intake of many calcium, are required.
[8] Meanwhile, selenium is known not only to be necessary for the human body and but also to be excellent in its effect. First, selenium is known to be very excellent in the antioxidative activity to inhibit the senescence of cells. The antioxidative activity reaches 1950 times that of natural tocopherol well known as an antioxidative agent. And selenium is known to retard the growth of lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer and to enhance the anticancer ability against these cancers. Also, selenium is known to function to change heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium, to nontoxic forms and to release these nontoxic forms out of the body. With regard to reproductive function, there is also a report that selenium increases the production and activity of spermatozoon.
[9] According to Korean Journal of Korean Food Science Technology, the daily average intake of selenium for Korean persons in 2002 is 43 mg which is lower than 50-200 mg, an amount recommended by WHO/FAO. Selenium can be easily obtained from cereals, meals, fishes and shellfishes, but for most of Korean persons, there is a further problem in that about 70% of 43 mg of the daily average intake of selenium is obtained from cereals. This is because the content of selenium in plants, such as cereals, is determined by an available form of the selenium content present in soil, but unfortunately, Korean soil is known to have a low selenium content since the selenium content in Korean soil is the same level as in Finland known as a selenium deficient area. As a result, cereals grown in soil having a low selenium content lack in selenium, and thus, even when Korean persons ingest a large amount of cereals, a deficiency of selenium will be unavoidable.
[10] Recently, in attempts to overcome this problem, there have been efforts to develop selenium-containing food using methods of artificially increasing the content of selenium. Particularly, selenium has properties to dissolve well in water and to volatilize at high heat, and thus, if food is boiled in water or processed at high heat, a large amount of selenium will be lost. For this reason, since it is preferable to eat food rawly, it will be most effective to cause eatable vegetable to contain selenium.
[11] Meanwhile, there have been attempts to increase the content of calcium in water dropwort. However, since calcium is a typical divalent cationic metal, calcium is not easy to absorb into crops due to the occurrence of binding to either anionic components
in soil or crops, and is low in its actual absorption rate due to the frequent occurrence of insoluble binding to nitrogen, phosphoric acid and microelements. Also, calcium is not easy to migrate in crops, and thus, is difficult to continuously absorb into crops.
[12] Accordingly, there are various limitations in producing water dropwort containing a large amount of a calcium component by general cultivation methods.
[13] In order to cultivate water dropwort having a higher calcium content than that of the prior water dropwort by overcoming the limitation of the prior water dropwort cultivation method where calcium absorption rate is reduced, the present inventors developed a method for cultivating water dropwort with a high calcium content, which can prevent the binding of calcium to components in soil and increase the rate of absorption of calcium into water dropwort (Korean Patent Application No. 2004-10639). This method is characterized in that shell calcium is used as a calcium source in the basic application of fertilizers, and a mixture of the shell calcium and at least one selected from a soil microorganism preparation and a peat is applied in order to increase the absorption rate of the calcium component of the shell calcium into water dropwort.
[14] Meanwhile, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-59554 discloses a method for cultivating a selenium-containing mushroom. In this method, organic selenium-containing eggs produced with the addition of a selenium-yeast complex to feed for laying eggs are used as a source of selenium. However, this method has shortcomings in that not only selenium supply efficiency is low but also a process for supplying selenium is complicated.
[15] Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-4266 relating to selenium- containing water dropwort discloses the use of inorganic selenium SeO . However, this method has problems in that SeO is a toxic substance requiring care in handling, and unconverted SeO 2 will remain in soil so as to contaminate soil, even if SeO 2 , after ap- plication, is subjected to a process of converting it into organic selenium in soil. [16] Meanwhile, most of crops have a tendency to non-absorb unnecessary components, so that even when a fertilizer containing a large amount of a certain component is applied, it will not be generally absorbed well into crops. Also, even when organic selenium is applied to water dropwort alone, the similar phenomenon will occur, thus reducing the absorption rate of selenium. [17] Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [18] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to cultivate water dropwort having a higher calcium content than that of the prior water dropwort by overcoming the
problem of a reduction in calcium absorption rate in the prior water dropwort cultivation method and to provide a method for cultivating selenium-containing water dropwort with a high calcium content, which can prevent the binding of calcium with components in soil and increase the absorption rate of calcium into water dropwort, and at the same time, increase the absorption rate of organic selenium by applying an organic selenium which does not cause soil contamination.
[19] Technical Solution
[20] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for cultivating water dropwort with a high calcium content, which is characterized by applying a mixture of a shell calcium and an organic selenium with at least one selected from a peat and a soil microorganism preparation in the application of fertilizers, and by applying a mixture of organic selenium and bentonite in the growth stage of water dropwort.
[21] As a calcium source for agricultural crops, an inorganic calcium source, such as calcium hydroxide, is generally used. However, as described above, the inorganic calcium source is not preferred for use as a calcium source for increasing a calcium content since the inorganic calcium source is difficult to absorb into water dropworts due to binding to other components present in soil, and inorganic calcium is not absorbed well into water dropwort itself.
[22] For this reason, in the present invention, a shell calcium as an organic calcium is used without using the inorganic calcium.
[23] The shell calcium is produced by the procedures of washing, calcining and crushing oyster shells, starfishes and the like, and is an organic calcium with an alkaline pH of 9-10. It has an affinity for crops, and is characterized in that it is much superior in decomposition and absorption abilities to mineral calcium and promotes the growth of crops.
[24] The shell calcium used in the present invention is preferably one calcined at 800-1500 °C in order to remove foreign substances, moisture or toxic substances contained in the shell calcium itself. After calcination, the shell calcium is easily ionized so that it reaches a pH of 13-14, thus improving the absorption of calcium. Also, due to the removal of moisture, the shell calcium shows an increase in the content of calcium or microelements per unit mass.
[25] Meanwhile, the basic application of only the shell calcium as a fertilizer cannot also overcome the limitations of the divalent cation as described above. Thus, in the inventive method for cultivating water dropwort with a high calcium content, the shell calcium is applied in a mixture with at least one selected from a soil microorganism
preparation and a peat.
[26] The peat refers to a material resulting from a process in which grasses, such as moss reeds and nut grasses, and occasionally, fluids of trees, such as pine trees and white britches, are deposited in basins in a large thickness and undergo biochemical changes by fungi and the like in the presence of water. The peat is included in one kind of coal in a broad sense but is generally distinguished from coal. The peat is one obtained by the decomposition of lignin cellulose, the main component of the above-mentioned plants, mainly on the earth's surface, and contains about 40% of humic acid. Also, the peat has cation exchange ability similarly to zeolite, so that, upon the basic application of shell calcium, it acts to prevent the calcium component from becoming insoluble by binding to a nitrogen component and the like in soil.
[27] In order to increase the absorption rate of calcium, the shell calcium is applied in a mixture with another component, a soil microorganism preparation.
[28] The soil microorganism preparation generally comprises a carrier and an adjuvant, such as a growth promoter, but its effect is determined by the direct function of microorganisms contained therein. Soil microorganism preparations used in the cultivation method according to the present invention contain general soil microorganism preparations, such as Bacillus sp., Notrobacter sp., Notrosomonas sp., Thiobacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Azotobacter sp., and a mixture thereof. Soil microorganism preparations containing Nitrobacter sp., and Notrosomonas sp., and a mixture thereof, are preferred. The species of these microorganisms are exemplified by Nitrobacter winogradski, and Notrosomonas eutropaea.
[29] The microorganism preparation acts to prevent the calcium component of the shell calcium from becoming insoluble by binding to a nitrogen component and the like in soil so as to interrupt the absorption of calcium into water dropwort and acts to promote the decomposition of the shell calcium.
[30] Meanwhile, as a selenium source for water dropwort, organic selenium is used. The organic selenium can be prepared by chemically reacting SeO with amino acid or by culturing SeO with microorganisms, such as yeast. In the case of the preparation method by chemical reaction, it is difficult to separate unreacted SeO so that there is a possibility for SeO to remain in soil. Thus, it is preferable to use organic selenium prepared by the microbial culture method. The organic selenium exists as selenocystein or selenomethionine.
[31] In the case where the above-mentioned fertilizer composition for increasing the calcium content, which consists of a mixture of the shell calcium and at least one selected from peat and the soil microorganism preparation, is applied in a mixture with the organic selenium, the organic selenium shows an increase in its absorption rate due to a synergistic effect with the peat or the soil microorganism preparation, as compared
to the case where the organic selenium is applied alone. Thus, it is preferable to apply the organic selenium in a mixture with the fertilizer composition for increasing the calcium content.
[32] It is also preferable to apply the organic selenium in a mixture with bentonite in the growth stage of water dropwort because a synergistic effect occurs where selenium together with various minerals are absorbed into water dropwort.
[33] Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[34] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the inventive method for cultivating selenium- containing water dropwort having a high calcium content will be described.
[35] After treating a cultivation land with a rotary but before spreading water dropwort onto the cultivation land, a mixture of granular shell calcium calcined at 800-900 °C and organic selenium is applied to the cultivation land alone or in a mixture with at least one selected from a peat and a soil microorganism preparation. This basic application of fertilizers can also be performed after spreading water dropwort.
[36] With regard to the amounts of the fertilizers used in the basic application, the shell calcium is preferably 20-50 kg/100 pyung (1 pyung = 3.3 m ) of cultivation land, the peat is preferably 50-100 kg/100 pyung, the soil microorganism preparation is preferably about 0.1-1 liter/100 pyung, and the organic selenium as a selenium source is diluted in water at a concentration of 10-100 ppm and the resulting dilution is applied in an amount of 50-100 liters/100 pyung alone or in a mixture with the shell calcium or the peat.
[37] Water dropwort grown in August or September is cut in a size of 20-30 cm and spread uniformly on the cultivable wet land where water agrees with the soil surface. The water dropwort spread on the wet cultivation land is cultivated according to the conventional heat insulation cultivation method used in winter.
[38] After completion of the spreading of water dropwort and the basic application of fertilizers, underground water is drawn into the cultivation land to a small depth in December, followed by the construction of a greenhouse.
[39] In this process, organic selenium can be dissolved in the underground water entrapped in the cultivation land at a concentration of 0.1-30 ppm and kept for about 2 days.
[40] The harvest of water dropwort is conducted after 40-50 days of growth after drawing the underground water, and in the growth stage, calcined shell calcium powder dissolved in water is additionally applied to the side one to six times depending on the growth state ofwater dropwort. At this time, because the dropwort cultivation land has been already applied with the soil microorganism preparation or peat together
with the shell calcium, the absorption of calcium into water dropwort occurs well even when the shell calcium is applied alone. However, it is also preferable to perform the additional application of the microorganism preparation in order to help the absorption of calcium into the root of water dropwort.
[41] In the additional foliar application of the shell calcium, it is preferable that the shell calcium be applied together with a solution of organic selenium diluted in water at a concentration of 10-100 ppm. Also, it is preferable that bentonite be applied together with the organic selenium in an amount of 0.5-3% by weight based on the weight of the aqueous organic selenium solution, so that various minerals contained in bentonite are absorbed into water dropwort while the organic selenium is absorbed together with the minerals by a synergistic effect. By adjusting the amount of the organic selenium spread at this stage, the content of selenium in waterdropwort can be adjusted in a suitable level. The bentonite used has a size of less than 200 meshes and can be easily spread in a mixture with the aqueous organic selenium solution.
[42] Thereafter, the cultivation soilis completely dewatered, and water dropwort having a stem length of about 20-40 cm is harvested. In this regard, since water dropwort is most rich in selenium at 7-9 days after the additional final application of the organic selenium, it is most preferable to harvest water dropwort at that time.
[43] Meanwhile, in order to improve the product quality by the continuous expression of nitrogen in the growth process of water dropwort, it is possible to perform the additional application of oilseed meal, such as rapeseed meal or mixed oilseed meal, and additional nutrient sources.
[44] Water dropwort according to the present invention was harvested and analyzed for the calcium content in a raw state, and the results showed calcium contents of 129.9 mg and 166.4 mg per 100 g of water dropwort. These calcium contents are about 3-4 times higher than 32 mg calcium content/1 OOg of raw water dropwort cultivated according to the conventional method. The content of selenium in the inventive raw water dropwort was 70-300 mg/kg.
[45] Industrial Applicability
[46] As described above, in the cultivation method of selenium-containing water dropwort with a high calcium content according to the present invention, the shell calcium is used as a calcium source, and the organic selenium is used as a selenium source. Also, in order to increase the absorption rates of the calcium component of the shell calcium and the selenium of the organic selenium into water dropwort, at least one selected from the soil microorganism preparation and the peat is applied in a mixture of the shell calcium and the organic selenium. Furthermore, in the growth
stage of water dropwort, the shell calcium is additionally applied to water dropwort, and the organic selenium is additionally applied in a mixture with bentonite. Thus, the inventive cultivation method is much higher in the absorption rates of calcium and selenium than the prior method for cultivating water dropwort. In addition, the selenium-containing water dropwort with a high calcium content cultivated by the inventive method contains much larger amounts of selenium and calcium than those of water dropwort cultivated by the prior method, and thus, has the advantages of health vegetables capable of satisfying the demand of consumers.
[47]