• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2023

This study aims to select eggplant cultivars adaptive to the hot temperature period greenhouse climate by water consumption, and growth performance of plants and fruits of different European eggplant cultivars, including 'Bartok (BA)', 'Bowie (BO)', 'Black Pearl (BP)', 'Ishbilia (I)', 'Mabel (M)', 'Vestale (VE)' and 'Velia (VL)', in substrate hydroponic cultivation under hot and humid greenhouse conditions. On the 118 DAT, the leaf number and stem dry weight were highest in 'VL', followed by 'M', and there was no significant difference in leaf dry weight among cultivars. The marketable fruit number per plant was 16.4 for 'M', which was higher than other cultivars, and 'VE' and 'VL' were 8.5 and 8.8, respectively. The weight per fruit was low for 'M' at 136 g, and the highest in 'VE' and 'VL' at 332 and 281 g, respectively. There was no significant difference in fruit production per plant. In this study, 'M', which has high water use efficiency and a large number of fruits, and 'VL', which required less quantity to water consumption for producing 200 g of fruit and had a high product weight, will have excellent adaptability in the UAE greenhouse condition.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 2013

This study examined a technique for cooling root zone aimed at lowering substrate temperature for sweet pepper (Capsicum annum L. 'Orange glory') cultivation in coir substrate hydroponics during hot season, from the $16^{th}$ of July to $15^{th}$ of October in 2012. The root zone cooling technique was applied by using an air duct (${\varnothing}12$ cm, hole size 0.1 mm) to blow cool air between two slabs during night (5p.m. to 3a.m.). Between the $23^{rd}$ of July and $31^{st}$ of August (hot temperature period), average daily substrate temperature was $24.7^{\circ}C$ under the root zone cooling, whereas it was $28.2^{\circ}C$ under condition of no cooling (control). In sunny day (600~700 W $m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$), average substrate temperatures during the day (6a.m. to 8p.m.) and night (8p.m. to 6a.m.) were lower about $1.7^{\circ}C$ and $3.3^{\circ}C$, respectively, under the cooling treatment, compared to that of control. The degree of temperature reduction in the substrate was averagely $0.5^{\circ}C$ per hour under the cooling treatment during 6p.m. to 8p.m.; however, there was no decrease in the temperature under the control. The temperature difference between the cooling and control treatments was $1.3^{\circ}C$ and $0.6^{\circ}C$ in the upper and lower part of the slab, respectively. During the hot temperature period, about 32.5% reduction in the substrate temperature was observed under the cooling treatment, compared to the control. Photosynthesis, transpiration rate, and leaf water potential of plants grown under the cooling treatment were significantly higher than those under the control. The first flowering date in the cooling was faster about 4 days than in the control. Also, the number of fruits was significantly higher than that in the control. No differences in plant height, stem thickness, number of internode, and leaf width were found between the plants grown under the cooling and control, except for the leaf length with a shorter length under the cooling treatment. However, root zone cooling influenced negligibly on eliminating delay in fruiting caused by excessively higher air temperature (> $28^{\circ}C$), although the substrate temperature was reduced by $3^{\circ}C$ to $5.6^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that the technique of lowering substrate temperature by using air-duct blow needs to be incorporated into the lowering growing temperature system for growth and fruit set of health paprika.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the optimum electrical conductivity (EC) levels of nutrient solution for growth of mother plants and increasing occurrence of daughter plants of strawberry ($Fragaria{\times}ananassa$ Duch. cv. Maehyang) using hydroponics. The mother plants of strawberry were transplanted in cultivation pot ($61{\times}27{\times}18cm$) filled with coir medium on March 22, 2017. Nutrient solution was supplied by the drip tape at $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of EC levels for rooting during 11 days. After rooting, the mother plants of strawberry was treated at the EC levels of 0.6, 1.2 or $1.8dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively. Growth characteristics, such as mother plants and daughter plants of strawberry were measured at 100 days after transplanting. The plant height of mother plant was significantly higher at $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatment, and the crown diameter of mother plant was significantly greater at $1.8dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatment. The fresh and dry weights of shoot were higher at both 0.6 and, $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatments. The number of runners was not significantly different in all treatments. The fresh and dry weights of runner were heavier at $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ than other treatments. The number of daughter plants was the highest, 16.7 at the $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatment. However, the fresh and dry weights of third daughter plant were the heaviest at $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatment. Although the daughter plants were a large of production at $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ treatment, the low EC levels of strawberry were positive in terms of seedling quality during nursery. These results indicated that growth of mother plant and occurrence of daughter plants were greater at the EC $0.6dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ nutrient solution for hydroponic cultivation of 'Maehyang' strawberry during nursery period.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.173-179
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• 2018

Investigation of the optimum levels of pre-plant nitrogen for raising of hot pepper (cv. Nokkwang) plug seedlings was the objective of this research. To achieve this, the pre-plant nitrogen levels were varied to 0, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, and $1,500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and the other essential nutrients were controlled to equal concentrations in all treatments. All the fertilizers were added during the formulation of the mixed medium of coir dust, peatmoss, and perlite with the ratio of 35, 35, and 30% (v/v/v). The root medium containing pre-plant fertilizer was packed into 50-cell plug trays and seeds were sown. The measurement of pH and EC in every week, soil solution analysis for nutrients in week 0, 3, and 7 and growth measurements as well as tissue analysis for nutrient contents in week 7 were conducted. The pHs measured before seed sowing did not show significant differences, but the differences among treatments became significant as seedlings grow bigger. The soil solution ECs were significantly different among treatments in week 0 and these differences were diminished by degrees after week 3, resulting in no significant differences among treatments in week 7. The trends in changes of $NH_4-N$, $NO_3-N$, and other the macro-element concentrations in soil solution of root media were similar to those of ECs. The treatments of 500 and $750mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ N were more effective than other treatments on seedling growth. The seedling growths in the treatments containing higher N than $1,000mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and control were severely suppressed. The elevated pre-plant N concentrations in the root medium resulted in the increase of tissue N contents. The treatments of 500 and $750mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ N shown the highest seedling growths had 5.13% and 5.31%, respectively, in tissue N contents based on the dry weight of above ground tissue at week 7. The results of this study indicated that the optimum level of pre-plant N is 500 to $750mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ for the raising of hot pepper plug seedlings.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.616-625
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• 2016

This research was conducted to investigate the optimum level of nitrogen incorporated during formulation of root media as pre-plant fertilizer on the growth of plug seedlings of 'Bool-am No.3' Chinese cabbage. A root medium was formulated by blending peatmoss:coir dust:perlite at a ratio of 3.5:3.5:3.0 (v/v/v). The nitrogen was incorporated in the seven treatments at a rate of 0, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, and $1,500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ during the root medium formulation. The concentrations of other essential nutrients except nitrogen were controlled to equal in all treatments. Then, the root medium was packed into 72-cell plug trays and seeds were sown. The growth measurements as well as tissue and soil solution analysis for nutrients were conducted 2 and 4 weeks after seed sowing. As seedlings grew, the pH in the extracted solution of all treatments tended to decrease. The decreases in the treatments of high N concentrations were more severe than those with low N, but the differences among treatments were not statistically significant. The differences of EC in extracted solution of root media among treatments were sizable until week 3, but the differences began to lessen and the EC decreased in all treatments after week 4. Growth of the aerial parts of plug seedlings at 2 weeks after sowing were highest in the $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and lowest in the $1,500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments, but those at 4 weeks after sowing were highest in the $500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and lowest in the $0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments among all treatments tested. The tissue N content was highest and lowest in the treatments of 250 and $1,000mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$, respectively, when tissues were harvested at 4 weeks after sowing and analysed based on the dry weight of above-ground tissue. The contents of micronutrients were the highest in the 1,000 and $1,500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ treatments among all treatments. The results shown above indicate that the $250mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of pre-plant N and elevation of post-plant N concentration to above $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ are suitable for raising plug seedlings of Chinese cabbage using inert media.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.736-745
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• 2016

This research was conducted to evaluate the impact of various pre-planting $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ ratios on the growth of plug seedlings of 'Bool-am No.3' Chinese cabbage. With fixation of the pre-planting N concentrations to $300mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ in a peatmoss+coir dust+perlite (3.5:3.5:3, v/v/v) medium, the $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ ratios were varied to 0:100, 27:73, 50:50, 73:27, 100:0. Then, the each of root media containing various ratios of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ as well as equal concentrations of other essential nutrients was packed into 72-cell plug trays. After seeds of 'Bool-am No.3' Chinese cabbage were sown, the seedling growths were measured 2 and 4 weeks after sowing. The weekly analysis of root media and end-crop tissue analysis for mineral nutrients 4 weeks after seed sowing were also conducted. As the seedlings grew up, the pH of the root media increased, however ECs in all treatments of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ ratios decreased. The concentrations of K, Ca and Mg in root media were higher in the treatments of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (100:0) and $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (73:27) than those of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (0:100) and $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (27:73) 2 weeks after seed sowing. But the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg and Zn were get lowered in all treatments and the differences among treatments were not significant 4 weeks after sowing. The highest $NH_4{^+}$ and lowest $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations of the root media were observed in the $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (100:0) among all treatments. Contrary to these, the treatment of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (0:100) had the lowest $NH_4{^+}$ and highest $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations. The seedling growth in terms of fresh and dry weights of aerial part were the highest in the treatment of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (23:73) at 2 weeks after sowing and those of $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (50:50) at 4 weeks after sowing. The survival rate of seedlings in $NH_4{^+}:NO_3{^-}$ (100:0) treatment were 19% and the growth of aerial part 4 weeks after sowing was the poorest among all treatments tested. The results mentioned above indicate that the pre-planting $NH_4{^+}$ ratio in inert media should not exceed 25% in plug stage 1 through 3 (until 2 true leaf development) and 50% in plug stage 4 (after 2 true leaves to transplant).

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 1999

This experiment was conducted to compare with the growth and fruit quality of Citrullus lanatus cv. Mudeungsan and Citrullus vulgaris cv. Dalgona grown in fertigation and soilless culture. Seeds were sown on April 16 and transplanted on April 24, 1998. Cultural systems used in fertigation and soilless culture beds using mixed substrate, coir dust (50%) and perlite (50%). In the plot of fertigation system, the number of leaves of cv. Dalgona were increased more than that of cv Mudeungsan, but leaf area shown inversed trend. Plant growth shown greater in soilless culture than those of fertigation culture. In regardless of cultural systems, soluble solid content in fruit was higher in the cv. Dalgona than that of cv. Mudeungsan, but fruit fresh weight was greater in cv. Mudeungsan compare to the cv Dalgona. Nitrate content in petiole sap of watermelon in regardless of cultivars and cultural systems was 11.4∼13.4mg/gFW on 15 days after transplanting, and then increased to 17.1∼20.6mg/gFW on the fruit growth stage. Phosphorous content was 3.7∼5.7mg/gFW in the early growth stage while decreased to 0.6∼1.1mg/gFW from maturing stage to harvesting stage. Potassium content was increased to 5.8∼6.6mg/gFW in the early growth stage while decreased to 4.0∼4.8mg/gFW from pollination stage to harvesting stage. Calcium content in spa petiole of watermelon was higher in soilless culture as 3.4∼4.1mg/gFW than 2.5∼3.5mg/gFW of fertigation culture, but calcium content in fertigation culture during maturing stage was higher than that of soilless culture. The tendency of magnesium uptake was higher in fertigation culture than that of soilless culture, and was similarly absorbed in the range of 0.9∼1.3mg/gFW in regardless of cultural method after pollination. It was demonstrated that cv. Mudeungsan can be adapted to soilless culture and improved the fruit quality. Consequently, hydroponic possibility for year round culture in the greenhouse was recognized.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2014

This research was conducted to investigate the influence of leaching fractions (LF) in each irrigation or fertigation on plant growth and changes in chemical properties of root media during the production of seedling grafts of tomato. Two root media containing Sphagnum peat moss plus vermiculite (5:5, v/v, PV) and coir dust plus vermiculite (5:5, v/v, CV) were formulated and pre-planting fertilizers were incorporated during formulation. Then, each medium was packed into 50 cell (volume 33 cc) and 105 cell (volume 18 cc) trays and the rootstock (cv. J3B Strong) and scion (cv. Sunmyung) were grown, respectively. The seedlings were grafted at 31 days after sowing and then the cut seedling grafts (Sunmyung scion/J3B Strong rootstock) were planted into 50 cell plug trays containing each of the two root media. After induction of the graft union and new adventitious roots for 7 days, the seedling grafts were fed with fertilizer solution once a week containing 4 different N concentrations (0, 50, 100, $200mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$). When determined after 31 days from seed sowing, the highest fresh weights of the root stock seedlings were obtained with 0.75 LF in PV (8.96g/seedling) and CV (7.11g/seedling) mixes. The EC of the both mixes were 0.93 and $1.09dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively. The fresh weights of the scion seedlings 31 days after seed sowing were 4.29g with 0.50 LF in the PV and 3.13g with 0.50 LF in the CV. The root medium ECs of the two treatments were 0.76 and $1.34dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively. Fresh weights of the seedling grafts grown for 31 days were greatly influenced by post-planting fertilizer concentrations. The heavier plants were obtained in $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ N treatment than any other treatments in same mixes. The substrate ECs in these two treatments were 0.98 and $1.93dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, respectively, indicating that the desirable range of soluble salts in soil extracts is higher in the CV mix than the PV mix. Results of this study suggest that optimum EC range is different in each medium and LF need to be adjusted differently for each root medium to produce high quality seedling grafts of tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.80-88
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• 2020

This study was conducted to examine the effect by application method and concentration of the indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), which is auxin-based plant growth regulator, on the growth and runner plants production of strawberry in the greenhouse. The seedlings of strawberry were transplanted in the pot (150 ×135 × 90 mm) filled with coir medium on April 12, 2019. The IBA was applied with a foliar spray or drench as 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg·L^-1 (50 mL per plant), respectively. The treatment was started on April 29, 2019. The foliar spray and drench treatment of IBA were repeated at 2-week intervals for 9 weeks from the start date of treatment. At 9 weeks after treatment, the petiole length of mother plants was the shortest in the control. The number of runner plants showed a tendency to decreased in the foliar spray. The number of lateral buds showed a tendency to decreased in the IBA treatment, and the least in the foliar with 100 mg·L^-1. There was not significantly difference in the fresh and dry weights of the first and second runner plants. However, in the third runner plants, the fresh and dry weights were the greatest in the drench with 100 mg·L^-1. Therefore, when considering the growth of third runner plants and lateral bud suppression, the drench with the 100 mg·L^-1 could be better application method and concentration of IBA treatment for growth of the third runner plants and runner plants production of strawberry, and the results can be used as a basic research of plant growth regulator application to save the labor force and enhance the seedling quality in strawberry seedling stage.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2014

Objective of this research was to develop root media containing expanded rice hull (ERH) and carbonized rice hull (CRH). To achieve this, the physico chemical properties of two materials were analysed and blended with peatmoss (PM) or coir dust (CD) with various ratio. Based on the physical properties of the blended materials, 4 root media were selected for future experiment. After the analysis of pH and EC of the selected root media, the kinds and amount of pre-planting nutrient charge fertilizers (PNCF) incorporated into each root medium were varied, and then, final chemical properties of the root media were analysed. The total porosity (TP), container capacity (CC), and air-filled porosity (AFP) were 81.3%. 39.9%, and 41.4% in ERH and 77.6%, 64.1%, and 13.5% in CRH, respectively. The percentage of easily available water (EAW, from CC to 4.90 kPa tension) and buffering water (BW, 4.91-9.81 kPa tension) were 11.37% and 5.27%, in ERH and 17.26% and 14.28% in CRH, respectively. The pH of ERH was 7.1, but it was extremely high in CRH such as 11.2. The EC and CEC were $1.31dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and $12.1meq{\cdot}100g^{-1}$ in ERH and $6.53dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and CEC 7.79 $meq{\cdot}100g^{-1}$ in CRH, respectively. The ranges of TP, CC and AFP in 4 selected media (PM + ERH, 6:4, v/v; CD + ERH, 8:2; PM + CRH, 7:3; CD+CRH 6:4) were 89.2-90.3%, 67.3-81.8%, and 8.3-21.9%, respectively. The pHs and ECs in root media containing peatmoss such as PM + ERH (6:4) and PM + CRH (7:3) were 4.0-4.3 and $0.33-0.365dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, whereas those of CD + CRH were 7.4-7.9 and $1.282dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The pHs and ECs, however, analysed before and after the incorporation of PNCF in each root medium were not significant different. This result indicated that the incorporated fertilizers in PNCF to adjust medium pH did not dissolve enough to influence medium pH, but it is very normal in root media containing dolomitic lime and sulfur powder in adjusting pH. The Information obtained in this study may facilitate an effective formulation of root media containing rice hulls.