• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2003

$TAO^{TM}$ System is an auto-heated thermophilic aerated digestion process using a proprietary microbe called as a Phototropic Bacteria (PTB). High metabolic activity results in heat generation, which enables to produce a pathogen-free and digested liquid fertilizer at short retention times. TAO$^{TM}$ system has been developed to reduce a manure volume and convert into the liquid fertilizer using swine manure since 1992. About 100 units have been installed and operated in Korean swine farms so far. TAO$^{TM}$ system consists of a reactor vessel and ejector-type aeration pumps and foam removers. The swine slurry manure enters into vessel with PTB and is mixed and aerated. The process is operated at detention times from 2 to 4 days and temperature of 55 to $65^{\circ}C$. Foams are occurred and broken down by foam removers to evaporate water contents. Generally, at least 30% of water content is evaporated, 99% of volatile fatty acids caused an odor are removed and pathogen destruction is excellent with fecal coliform, rotavirus and salmonella below detection limits. The effluent from TAO$^{TM}$ system, called as the "TAO EFFLUX", is screened and has superb properties as a fertilizer. Normally N-P-K contents of screened TAO Efflux are 4.7 g/L, 0.375 g/L and 2.8 g/L respectively. The fertilizer effect of TAO EFFLUX compared to chemical fertilizer has been demonstrated and studied with various crops such as rice, potato, cabbage, pumpkin, green pepper, parsley, cucumber and apple. Generally it has better fertilizer effects and excellent soil fertility improvement effects. Moreover, the TAO EFFLUX is concentrated through membrane technology without fouling problems for a cost saving of long distance transportation and a commercialization (crop nutrient commodity) to a gardening market, for example.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 1991

To manufacture a good organic fertilizer through rapid composting process, cow dung was mixed with bulking materials such as rice straws, shredded bark, wood chips, and saw dust. The mixing ratio of the cow dung and bulking material was two to one on volume basis and moisture content was adjusted to 60 to 70 percent, C/N ratio 25 to 30 and aeration forced with suction during the aerated pile fermentation. Aerated pile was established outdoors and curing pile was in vinylhouse and the experiment was conducted for 3 years from '88 to '90. After pilling, temperature in aerated pile was reached to the maximum level at 7 to 9 days and the temperatures of cow dung + shredded bark, cow dung + wood chips, and cow dung + rice straws were higher than that of cow dung, and cow dung + saw dust. Total carbon, and C/N ratio in aerated pile fermentation period were increased in the middle stage and then they were decreased with the process of days, and nutrient contents in curing pile period had the same tendency as in the aerated pile.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.55-58
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to get information about water retention characteristics of horticultural substrates used in Korea determined by European standard method. Water retention curves were prepared at water volume (v/v, %) in relation to -10 cm, -50 cm, -100 cm water pressure head. Water retention curves showed different properties depending upon the type, the place of origin, particle size, and manufacturing processes of substrates. Peat and coir had easily available water content in the range of 30-40% and showed high water holding capacity, water buffering capacity, and aeration for plant growth. However, bark, sawdust and rice hull showed low water holding capacity about below 10%. The easily available water content of perlite and clay ball was low about 0.1-13.8%, whereas that of vermiculite and rockwool granulate was high about 25.9-52.0%. Understanding water retention characteristics of growing substrates is very important in cstablisliing optimum condition for plant growth. Further study on water retention curves for more substrates, mixture and growing media is needed.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2006

Aeration is the most important and indispensable operation unit for the treatment of swine manure using aerobic liquid-composting process. The composting of swine manure depends on biological treatment process, but the highly concentrated ammonia nitrogen is required a pretreatment to expect the appropriate efficiency of the biological treatment process. In this study, pilot experiments have been carried out to estimate of the fit condition about ammonia stripping process as a pretreatment to aerobic liquid- composting. pH adjustment with $Ca(OH)_2$ was economically superior to use of NaOH and optimum pH of ammonia stripping was 12.3, ammonia nitorgen was rapidly removed as pH were increased at $$35^{\circ}C$$. When air stripping is performed before aerobic liquid-stripping, a high initial pH is required for complete ammonia removal and is additional effects such as organic substances, phosphorus, turbidity, and color removal. Stripping process was very efficient in the pretreatment of highly concentrated ammonia nitrogen for composting of swine manure. Emission rate of gaseous ammonia was $0.5355mole\;s^{-1}$ at initial time and $0.0253mole\;s^{-1}$ at finitial time. The fit condition of ammonia stripping in this study were at the temperature of $$35^{\circ}C$$, and the pH of 12.3 during 48 hours.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2002

Emission of methane and nitrous oxide affected by nitrogen fertilizer materials were measured simultaneously in rice paddy fields under flooding and intermittent irrigation in 2000. Studies focused on mitigating $CH_4$ emission from rice paddy fields are summarized and the possibilities and limits applied to world's rice cultivation are discussed. The mitigation options are water management, soil amendments, organic matter management, different tillage, rotation, and cultivar selection. Altering water management, in particular promoting midseason aeration by short-term drainage, is one of the most promising strategies, although these practices may be limited to the rice paddy fields where the irrigation system is well prepared. The test site was divided into two water managements: a continuously flooded plot which was maintained flooded by constant irrigation from May to September, and an intermittently drained plot in which short-term (20days) draining practices were performed one times during the flooding period. By total emission of GHGs converted by global warming potential (GWP), flooding plots were higher 170$\sim$208% than interimittent irrigation plots. For emission of GHGs in fertilizer materials, it was high in the order of Swine slurry>Urea+Rice straw>Urea>LCU. Basing on GHGs emission of urea fertilization under flooding as baseline GWP of urea fertilization and Latex-coated urea under intermittent irrigation showed lower GHGs emission by 41.4% and 55.8 respectively. In this case fertilizer use efficiency (kg unhulled rice/ of applied N) were 18.2$\sim$20.2 and 18.7$\sim$19.0 and 9.3 and 5.8$\sim$6.6 for Swine slurry and LCU and Urea+Rice straw and Urea in the continuously flooded and intermittently drained plot.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.119-123
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• 1997

This study was performed to evaluate the influence of composting process with an intermittent aeration on the variation of rhizosphere soil temperature, $CO_2$ and $NH_3$ release, and the growth reponse of tomato plantlet in traditional and composting greenhouse. As the temperature of composting materials increased, rhizosphere soil temperature in 30cm depth rose up to $32^{\circ}C$ at one week after introduction. This was $18^{\circ}C$ higher than that of traditional greenhouse. After 20 days of active composting, temperature of rhizosphere soil started to decrease and remained constant at $23^{\circ}C$ after 35 days. For the traditional greenhouse, the averaged temperature ranged at $14{\sim}15^{\circ}C$. This results showed that composting greenhouse had the greater effect on increasing the underground temperature. Average value of evoluted $CO_2$ from the composting greenhouse for 70 days was $782{\sim}1154ppm$. This was $1.7{\sim}2.6$ times higher than that of the traditional greenhouse with an average of $440{\sim}462ppm$. $NH_3$ release was highest during $2{\sim}10$ days in intermittent aerated composting and reached to 134 ppm maximum on the 5th day, then decreased rapidly, and maintained at $3{\sim}4ppm$ after 17 days. Increased photosynthesis due to the $CO_2$ gas and a favorable rhizosphere environment due to the increased underground temperature resulted in improved growth, yield, and Brix degree of tomato fruit.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.71-81
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• 2009

Food waste has been actively used as a composting material in order to reduce the environmental pollution load and to enhance the recycling of resources. In this study, the longterm effects of continuous application of food waste compost to soils on both the crop production and the soil properties were examined to ensure the safety of food waste compost in agricultural use. In addition, we collected the preliminary data for establishing standard application rate of food waste compost for agricultural utilization. Based on conventional nitrogen application rate of chemical fertilizer for crop cultivation, pig manure compost $(24g\;N\;kg^{-1}$, $8g\;P_2O_5\;kg^{-1}$, and $10.4g\;K_2O\;kg^{-1})$ and food waste compost ($20g\;N\;kg^{-1}$, $20.1g\;P_2O_5\;kg^{-1}$, and $6.5g\;K_2O\;kg^{-1}$) were applied to the upland soil in $2{\times}2{\times}2m$ lysimeter in which lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa), Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris subsp. napus var. pekinensis), red pepper (Capsicum annuum), and potato (Solanum tuberosum) were grown continuously. The crops grown in soils to which food waste compost applied showed better growth responses than the control, whereas some variations were observed in the crops grown in chemical fertilizer treated soils. Continuous application of food waste compost increased the contents of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which resulted in improving soil aeration.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.336-341
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• 2015

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is a bush that grows well at special cultural environments such as acid soil, high organic matter content, and a good drainage and aeration compared to other general crops. Blueberries are well known to contain high amounts of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds, resulting in high antioxidant activity that provides health benefits, and expanding the cultivation areas and consumer's demand in the worldwide. However, the full genome of blueberry has not been announced until now. Furthermore, the genomic analysis and transcriptome approaches are not so popular compare to major crops such as orange, apple, and grape. The aim of the review about blueberry genomic research is to establish the platform for setting blueberry breeding target, increasing proficiency of blueberry research, and making the practical cultivation techniques in Korea. The main topics in the blueberry genomic research including transcriptome, genetic mapping, and various markers are related with cold hardiness, chilling requirement, hot tolerance, anthocyanin content, and flavonoid synthesis pathway on various tissues like flower bud, leaf bud, shoot, root, and berry fruit. The review of the current status of blueberry genomic research will provide basic information to the breeders and researchers and will contribute to development of blueberry industry with sustainable productions and increase of blueberry consumption as new profitable crops in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.77-87
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• 2001

Composting is a cost-effective and environmentally-sound technology to treat soils contaminated with hazardous organic pollutants. Pollutants to be treated are as follows: explosives, phenolic compounds, PAHs, petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides, and etc. Composting systems are windrow, static pile, and in-vessel. Design and operational parameters of composting are aeration modes, temperature, moisture content, nutrient supplement, amendment added, and etc. Appropriate oxygen concentration of composting for contaminated soils are 5~15%, while some compounds are degraded well at the low $O_2$ concentration of 2~5%. The most diverse microorganisms live in the temperature of $25{\sim}40^{\circ}$. 50~90% of the soil field capacity is the moisture content not to make a problem in composting. Assuming a bacterial chemical equation is $C_{60}H_{87}O_{23}N_{12}P$, theoretical C : N : P from bacterial chemical portion is approximately 20 : 5 : 1. It should be noted that the ratio does not apply to the total organic carbon measured in a waste because not all carbon metabolized by bacteria is synthesized to new cellular material. Initial C/N ratio of 25~40 is optimum. It is more economical to recycle soils or composts than to add commercial microbes.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.131-135
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• 1999

The objective of this research was to improve moisture retention capacity of pine bark. To achieve this, barks were ground with Wiley mill of hammer mill and were blended with recycled rockwool. Then, changes of soil physical properties were determined. The percentage of particles larger than 5.6 mm was 86.5% in raw materials. The percentage of particles larger than 1 mm decreased and those of particles smaller than 1 mm increased by grinding with Wiley mill or hammer mill. Grinding with Wiley mill showed better effect than those of hammer mill in decreasing particle size distribution. Grinding resulted in decreased total porosity (TP) and air space (AS) and increased container capacity (CC) and residual water content (RW), indication improved moisture retention capacity. The material ground with Wiley mill, than blended with 50% recycled rockwool had 81.1%, 67.7%, 13.5% and 235 ml in TP, CC, AS and RW, respectively. These results indicated that moisture retention capacity was improved by blending with recycled rockwood, but aeration of root media was much better than those of peat+vermiculite(1:1, v/v), which is commonly used in commercial production.