• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.39 no.6 s.181
• /
• pp.753-770
• /
• 2006

In urban areas, groundwater pollution is heavily affected by urbanization with land use types. This study aims to characterize groundwater quality and contamination in Sasang industrial area of Busan Metropolitan City where metalworking, machinery and footwear factories are located. Busan Metropolitan City is the highest in the utilization of groundwater resources among the metropolitan cities in Korea. $K^+,\;Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;Cl^-,\;SO_4^{2-}\;and\;HCO_3^-$ concentrations, and electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity are high in the areas near the Nakdong River. The results are attributed to the influence of salt water which intruded into the coastal sediments during sedimentation. In addition, the dominant chemical type of Ca-Cl indicates the influence of salt water in the geological formations as well as anthropogenic pollution. $SiO_2$ ion is interpreted to originate from both water-silicate mineral reactions and the decomposition of cement concretes. Trichloroethylene (TCE) was detected at 12 sites of total 18 sites. However, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was detected at f sites and 1.1.1-trichloroethane (TCA) at 3 sites. According to the factor analysis, factor 1 was explained by 49.8%, factor 2 19.8%, and factor 3 11.0% with total 80.6% explanation. pH, TDS, salinity, $Ca^{2+},\;K^+,\;Mg^{2+},\;Na^+,\;Al^{3+},\;As^{3+},\;Cl^-\;and\;Fe^{2+}$ were positively highly loaded to factor 1. The chemical components loaded to factor 1 represent the chemical characteristics of both industrial pollution and influence by salt water. Based on the cluster analysis and distribution pattern of chemical components, the concentration of $Na^+,\;Ca^{2+},\;Cl^-,\;SO_4^{2-}\;K^+,\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ is high in the riverside area of the Nakdong River composed of coastal sediments that is influenced by salt water. The downstream area of the Hakjang Stream is judged to be affected by both salt water and artificial pollution. The other part of the study area is interpreted by anthropogenic pollution.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.77-83
• /
• 2016

The objectives of this study was to investigate the difference between organic-farming and conventional-farming soils relatives to soil chemical properties and microbial flora. Fifteen soil sampling sites were chosen from the certified organic upland farm, considered with its location, crop and application of organic compost types. Soil chemical properties were analyzed by standard methods established by National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration. For the soil chemical properties, the values of pH were ranged from 4.5 to 7.3. The values of electrical conductivity (EC) in the sampling sites were below 2 dS/m of convention cultivation soil. For analyzing the microbial flora, the bacillus(16S rDNA) and cladothricosis(18S rDNA) were analyzed by using PCR-DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) in the soil of 15 sampling sites. Cluster analysis of biodiversity index was performed by using pattern of DGGE. DGGE patterns and clustering analysis of bacterial DNA from soil extracts revealed that the bacterial community was differentiated between less than 5 years and more than 5 years depending on the cultivation history. But there was no consistent tendency between cultivation history and regional trend in the case of molds. Therefore, it would be very effective to analyze bacterial clusters of organically cultivated soils in long - term cultivated soil for more than 5 years.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.438-445
• /
• 2010

Soils in continuous monoculture cropping system generally have a number of physical and chemical problems. Thus, we studied to investigate selected soil properties in continuous watermelon cropping plots with applications of different soil management practices: 1) conventional farming practice (CFP), 2) chemical fertilizer management practice (FMP), the FMP with different amounts, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 t $ha^{-1}$, of oyster shell meal application (FMP-OS 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 t $ha^{-1}$), and 3) the FMP with different amounts, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 t $ha^{-1}$, of peat application (FMP-PT 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 t $ha^{-1}$) and also to evaluate watermelon quality. Soil pH slightly increased only in the FMP-OS 1.5 t $ha^{-1}$ plot, while it was not changed or decreased a little in other plots. The contents of soil organic matter (SOM) expectedly increased in the FMP-PT plots, whereas it markedly decreased in the FMP-OS plots. The concentrations of exchangeable cations, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, and $K^+$, in soils were mostly dropped down in most of the FMP and FMP-PT plots. Otherwise, the exchangeable $Ca^{2+}$ concentration increased a bit in the FMP-OS plots. Also, the concentrations of water-soluble anions, $NO_3^-$, $Cl^-$, ${SO_4}^{2-}$, and ${PO_4}^{3-}$, in soils mostly declined in all the plots applied with the different management practices during the study years. Due to the cation and anion decreases, the electrical conductivity (EC) values in the soils were greatly reduced in the plots. Thus, the soil management practices applied, especially oyster shell meal and peat treatments, might be useful to control soil conditions. However, watermelon quality, such as sugar content and fruit weight, would not be associated with the soil management practices applied.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.251-256
• /
• 2010

Objective of this research was to investigate the influence of $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ ratios in liquid feeding on the growth of snapdragon 'Potomac Red' and changes in medium chemical properties. The seeds were sown into 200 plug trays and fertigated once a week with nutrient solution containing various ratios of $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ such as 0 : 100, 27 : 73, 50 : 50, 73 : 27, and 100 : 0. The total N concentrations were adjusted to 50, 100 and $150\;mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in plug stages of 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Determination of seedling growth and analysis of plant tissue and root medum were conducted at 56 days after sowing. The treatment of 27 : 73 ($NH_4^+:NO_3^-$) had the greatest plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight. The N and P contents in 27 : 73 ($NH_4^+:NO_3^-$) treatment based on the above ground plant tissues were 2.39 and 0.39%, respectively, which were the greatest among treatments. The elevation of $NH_4^+$ ratio in fertigation solution decreased tissue Ca and Mg contents, but that did not influence tissue K content. The variations in $NH_4^+:NO_3^-$ ratios impacted the soil solution pH and the difference among treatments had been severe since three weeks after sowing. Elevation of $NH_4^+$ ratios in fertigation solution increased electrical conductivity and concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg in soil solution of root medum. The $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$ concentrations in the soil solution were high in weeks 2, 3, and 4, then decreased gradually as the biomass of seedlings increased. Medium P concentration decreased gradually as seedlings grew, but statistical differences were not observed among treatments.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.725-736
• /
• 2017

TThis study investigated the influence of AGH-Ringer (chelated organic minerals liquid fertilizer) on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of 'Jukhyang' strawberry in a hydroponic system. The results revealed that AGH-Ringer group led to significantly higher plant length than that of the control group, and that leaf length and leaf width increased with increasing leaf area. In addition, the fresh and dry weights of leaves and SPAD unit, which measures leaf color also showed a significant increase with AGH-Ringer. However, the length and dry weight of roots did not show significant differences when compared to the control group. In the fruit quality analysis, AGH-Ringer group did not show any difference in fruit length compared to the control group, but it increased both the fruit weight, which, along with the simultaneous increase in fruit width, increased the yield per strawberry. Furthermore, AGH-Ringer group strengthened the red skin color of the fruit, and resulted in significantly greater hardness than that of the control group, but did not have any effect on the soluble solid content and acidity. As shown in the results, the AGH-Ringer group resulted in lesser mineral content and lower to medium EC (electrical conductivity) in comparison to the inorganic mineral hydroponic fertilizer, which was used as a control. However, it increased the leaf growth, fruit weight, and yield, and improved the fruit quality by increasing the soluble solid content in the hydroponic system of 'Jukhyang' strawberry. Therefore, based on this study, AGH-Ringer is thought to be a more effective hydroponic fertilizer than the inorganic mineral hydroponic fertilizer. Moreover, the field experiment demonstrated that AGH-Ringer is a useful hydroponic fertilizer convenient for application in farms. This study also proved that AGH-Ringer is a fertilizer that can promote plant nutrition by controlling the salinity of the soil and facilitating the absorption of necessary minerals in future soil cultivation, thereby providing basic data for organic farming.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.212-219
• /
• 2004

To minimize the danger of soil erosion and settle habitats earlier, afforestation, which vegetates bare slopes, is selected as an environmental recovering technology. Large portions of these areas often are suffered by a bad germination and growth inhibition of sprayed seeds. Afforested materials collected in the normal and damaged sites were not any big difference in chemical characteristics and biological response to ryegrass. But background soil of the damaged site has very low pH (3.6) and high contents of iron and aluminum compared with them of the normal sites. Both germination and root growth of ryegrass were inhibited severely in the water extracts of damaged soils, but not in the water extracts of normal sites. Groundwater collected nearby the damaged sites was very strong acidic (pH 33) and exhibited a high value of electrical conductivity and high contents of iron and aluminum. In the ground water, germinated ryegrass was scarcely grown. In Al standard solution, the root growth of ryegrass was inhibited over 50% in 0.5 mM in pH 3.5-4.5 and in 1.4 mM in pH 5.5, which seems to be related to $Al^{3+}$ activity in solution. In the ferric Fe ($Fe^{3+}$) standard solution, ryegrass growth was inhibited over 50% in the concentration of 14-19 mM in root and 23-25 mM in shoot. This strong tolerance of ryegrass to $Fe^{3+}$ might be concerned with the very low activity of $Fe^{3+}$ at pH 3.5-5.5. In contrast, ryegrass responded very sensitively to ferrous Fe ion ($Fe^{2+}$), especially in root growth: $Fe^{2+}$ concentrations corresponding to 50% growth reduction were 0.3-0.4 mM at pH 3.5-5.5 in roots. This high growth inhibition should be related to the high ion activity of $Fe^{2+}$ irrespective of different pH conditions. In conclusion, low pH and high contents of $Fe^{2+}$ and aluminum seem to be caused by pyrite and be closely related to the growth inhibition of ryegrass seeded in afforested area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.100-110
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to evaluate influence of chemical properties in the riparian on the species diversity and to get plant information for enhancement of natural purification in Mankyeong River. The concentration of total nitrogen was high in Jeonju and Sam stream, while that of total nitrogen showed the highest peak in Winter. Concentrations of $NH_4-N$ was $0.01{\sim}0.06\;mg/L$ in Gosan and Soyang stream. The water quality of upstream along with Mankyeong River was suitable for the irrigation source. The riparian vegetation was investigated by Zurich-Montpellier school's method from June, 2001 to September, 2002. The number of riparian plants were 59 families, 129 genera, 165 species, 20 varieties in Gosancheon, on the while 53 families, 111 genera, 141 species, 19 varieties in Soyangcheon. The number of riparian plants in Bari basin was higher than that of other sites namely, 73 families, 134 genera, 218 species, 33 varieties. Riparian vegetation was consisted of 12 plant communities. The contents of organic matter, total nitrogen and electrical conductivity had negative relationship with species diversity (Species richness index, Heterogeneity index, Species evenness index Species number). On the while, species diversity had positive relationship with soil pH. Species diversify of the plant communities were affected by topography and disturbance.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.871-877
• /
• 2016

Recycling nutrient solutions in closed hydroponic production systems is usually accompanied by an imbalance of nutrient solutions when concentration is controlled according to electrical conductivity (EC) levels. This study investigated whether it was possible to automatically control the concentrations of five essential elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) using only N, K and Ca ion sensors. N, P, K, Ca, and Mg uptake was measured in the nutrient solution, and relationships between absorbed ions were analyzed through twice-repeated experiments in lettuce. Results confirmed that the pattern of $PO_4$ ion uptake was similar that of N, and the pattern of Mg ion uptake was similar that of Ca. $PO_4$ ion uptake was most highly correlated with N, and Mg was most highly correlated with Ca. Regression coefficients of N and $PO_4$ were significantly different at 1.04 and 0.55, respectively, but were similar between Ca and Mg at 0.35 and 0.40, respectively. Additional experiments were conducted to measure nutrient uptake in pak choi and rose plants, both to confirm the results from the first experiment in lettuce, and to assess possible application to other crops. Coefficients of determination both for N and $PO_4$, and Ca and Mg were considerably high ($R^2=0.86$) in cultured pak choi, and similar results were observed in cultured rose ($R^2=0.87$ and 0.73, respectively). Regression coefficients for cultured pak choi were 0.56 and 0.24, respectively, and for rose were 0.51 and 0.16, respectively. Although the results obtained for N and $PO_4$ were not consistent between the lettuce experiments, N and $PO_4$ have similar regression coefficients for all crops. No common coefficient was found between Ca and Mg.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2002.11a
• /
• pp.29-30
• /
• 2002

The goal of this research was to develop the effectiveness of in vitro culture method for A. formosanus and study the environment in vitro conditions affecting on growth. The first series of experiments were examined to investigate the response of three different basal media, MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962), Knudson (KC; Knudson, 1946) and modified hyponex on growth and multiplication during in vitro culture. Multiple shoot proliferation was induced in shoot tip explants on Hyponex (H3) media supplemented with BA (1 mg1$\^$-1/) or TDZ (1-2 mg1$\^$-1/). Addition of activated charcoal (1%) to the TDZ containing medium promoted rapid shoot tip proliferation (11.1 shoots per explant) but the same medium had an opposite effect resulting in poor proliferation in the nodal explants. However, the regenerated shoots had slow growth rate and failed to elongate. This problem was overcome by transferring the shoot clumps to a hormone free H3 media supplemented with 2% sucrose and 0.5% activated charcoal. Using bioreactor culture for scaling up was also shown the best way for multiple shoot induction and growth of this plant. The second series of experiments was studied to investigate the effect of physical environment factors on growth of in vitro plantlets. The Anoectochilus formosanus plantlets were cultured under different air exchange rate (0.1, 0.9, 1.2h$\^$-1/), without sucrose or supplement 20g.1$\^$-1/ (photoautotrophic or photomixotrophic, respectively), and different photosynthesis photon flux (40, 80, 120 ,${\mu}$mol.m$^2$.s$\^$-1/- PPF). Under non-enrichment CO$_2$ treatment, slow growth was observed in photoautotrophical condition as compared with photomixotrophical condition on shoot height, fresh weigh and dry weight parameters; High air exchange (1.2.h-l) was found to be inadequate for plant growth in photomixotrophical condition. On the contrary, under CO$_2$, enrichment treatment, the plant growth parameters were sharply (visibly) improved on photoautotrophic treatments, especially on the treatment with air exchange rate of 0.9.h-1. The growth of plant in photoautotrophic condition was not inferior compared with photomixotrophic, and the best growth of plantlet was observed in treatment with low air exchange rate (0.9.h-1). Raising the PPF level from 80 to 120${\mu}$mol.m$\^$-2/.s$\^$-1/ decreased the plant height, particularly at 120${\mu}$mol.m$\^$-2/.s$\^$-1/ in photoautotrophic condition, fresh weight and dry weight declined noticeably. At the PPF of 120${\mu}$mol.m$\^$-2/,s$\^$-1/, chlorophyll contents lowed compared to those grown under low PPF but time courses of net photosynthesis rate was decreased noticeably. Light quality mainly affected morphological variables, changes of light quality also positively affected biomass production via changes in leaf area, stem elongation, chlorophyll content. Plant biomass was reduced when A. formosanus were grown under red LEDs in the absence of blue wavelengths compare to plants grown under supplemental blue light or under fluorescent light. Stem elongation was observed under red and blue light in the present experiment. Smaller leaf area has found under blue light than with other lighting treatments. Chlorophyll degradation was more pronounced in red and blue light compared with white light or red plus blue light which consequent affected the photosynthetic capacity of the plant. The third series of experiment were studied to investigate the effect of physical environment factors on growth of ex vitro plants including photosynthesis photon flux (PPF), light quality, growing substrates, electrical conductivity (EC) and humidity conditions. In the present experiments, response of plant on PPF and light quality was similar in vitro plants under photosynthesis photon flux 40${\mu}$mol.m,$\^$-2/.s$\^$-1/ and white light or blue plus red lights were the best growth. Substrates testing results were indicated cocopeat or peat moss were good substrates for A. formosanus growth under the greenhouse conditions. In case of A. formosanus plants, EC is generally maintained in the range 0.7 to 1.5 dS.m-1 was shown best results in growth of this plant. Keeping high humidity over 70% under low radiation enhanced growth rate and mass production.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 2010

Indoor cultivation plots for watermelon plant mostly have salt-accumulation problem because of continuous cropping especially with the heavy applications of chemical fertilizers. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate selected soil properties and watermelon growth condition as affected by the application of different farming practices in the salt-affected soils of greenhouse plots used for continuous watermelon production. Five different practice conditions in the experimental plots were applied, 1) a conventional farming practice (CFP), 2) a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizer management practice (FMP), and 3) the FMP with different amounts (5, 10, and 15 ton $ha^{-1}$)of fresh rice straw treatments (FMP-RS), for three years of study. As comparing with CFP plots, soil organic matter content gradually increased during the experimental years, whereas it decreased in the FMP only plot. Soil pH was not changed in the CFP and FMP plot, but it declined in the FMP-RS plots; however, it increased again from the third year in the FMP-RS plots with applying 10 and 15 ton $ha^{-1}$ of RS treatments. The concentrations of exchangeable cations, $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, except $K^+$, and water-soluble anions, ${NO_3}^-$, $Cl^-$, ${SO_4}^{2-}$ and ${PO_4}^{3-}$, markedly decreased in FMP and FMP-RS plots. In particular, the application of rice straw tended to significantly decrease the ion concentrations, especially most anions, in the first year, but there was no more decrease in the second and third study years. With relation to the ion concentrations, the changes of electrical conductivity (EC) after applying the management practices showed very similar to those of the ion concentrations. In addition, incidence of withered watermelon plant after applying the management practices dramatically declined from approximately 20% in the CFP plot to 3.5% in the FMP-RS plots. Water melon fruit weight was also improved by the management practices, especially FMP-RS. Therefore, the fertilizer and/or fresh rice straw application management practices are beneficial to improve salt-affected soils and watermelon plant growth condition.