• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2002

Tn establish the criteria for appropriate seedling production method in the summer, the effect of container size and seedling age on the growth and yield were evaluated with tomato. The seedling quality was higher when seedlings were grown polyethylene in 9cm pots than in 72 cell plugs. Seedling quality increased with increase in seedling age in polyethylene pots, whereas seedling age did not affect seedling quality in plug trays. Fruits matured earlier on plants started from pot-grown transplants for a long duration than with plug tray-grown transplants for a shorter duration. Not only total yield in 4 months, but the early yield in the first 2 months, was higher with pot-nursed transplants than with plug tray-nursed transplants. With pot-grown transplants, The early yield in initial 2 months was the lowest in 25 day-old transplants, whereas there was no significant differences between 35- and 45-day-old transplants. Seedling age did not affect the cumulative yield for 3 months after the first harvest. With plug tray-grown transplants, the cumulative yield tar initial 3 months was the highest in plants grown for 35 days in the nursery, followed by 25 day and 45 day. However, there were no significant differences among seedling ages in the total yield.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.328-332
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of high concentrations of salts in soil on the growth, yield, quality, photosynthetic rate, and mineral uptake of tomato ('House Momotaro') in pot cultivation. The growth of tomato such as plant height, top plant weight and root weight decreased as the concentrations of salts in soils increased. Yield decreased by 31% and 41% in EC 5.0 and $7.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively compared with the salt concentration of EC $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. Yield reduction was caused by low mean weight and number of fruit if at high salt concentration in soil, and affected by low photosynthetic rate and water potential in leaf, The rate of blossom-end rot was highest (16.7%) in EC $7.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and increased as the concentrations of salts in soils increased. The contents of soluble solids and titratable acids showed a tendency to increase with increasing the concentrations of salts in soils. Photosynthetic rate, water potential and stomatal conductance in leaf decreased as the salt concentration in soil increased. The higher the salt concentration in soil, the lower the mineral uptake such as T-N, P, K, Ca and Mg but, the higher the content of Na.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2005

This study was carried out to develop a novel hydroponic medium far fruit vegetable crops by using waste synthetic fibers. In physical analysis of the synthetic fiber medium (SFM), the bulk density and percent solid phase were lower, while the porosity and water content were greater in comparison with the rockwool slab. The SFM had pH of 6.5 and EC of $0.03dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ both of which are similar to those of the rockwool slab. The CEC of 0.39me/100mL of the SFM was lower than compared with 3.29me/100mL of the rockwool slab. However, concentrations K, Ca, Mg and Na were slightly higher in the SFM than those in the rockwool slab. The 'Momotaro' tomato crop in the SFM gave comparable plant height, stem diameter, days to first flowering, fruit weight and percent marketable yield as the rockwool slab. In the SFM and in the rockwool slab, mean fiuit weight were 182g and 181g, percent marketable yield were $93.8\%$ and $92.0\%$, respectively. The marketable yield per 10a in the SFM was 12,799 kg, which was $97\%$ of that in the rockwool slab. Growth parameters such as leaf length and width, leaf number, stem diameter and chlorophyll content of an exportable cucumber crop grown in the SFM and the rockwool slab were not different. Fruit weight was greater in the rockwool slab, while percent marketable yield was greater in the SFM. The marketable fruit yield per 10a of 5,062kg in the SFM was $2\%$ greater than that in the rockwool slab. $NO_3$ concentration in nutrient solution during the crop cultivation was higher in the SFM than in the rockwool slab, while concentrations $NH_4$, K, Ca, Mg and $SO_4$ were not different between the two media.