• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.357-366
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• 2022

Biochar can be obtained by using various types of biomass under an oxygen-limited condition. Biochar can be utilized for various applications such as soil improvement, waste management, growth promotion, and adsorption. Wood vinegar is produced by the process of pyrolysis wood biomass and is used as a growth promoter, for soil improvement, and as a feed additive. When wood vinegar is treated on soil, it acts to control soil pH, improve nutrient availability, and alleviate N₂O and NH₃ volatilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biochar and wood vinegar on the growth of perilla and soil quality. The experiment was conducted by using a Wagner pot (1·5,000 a^-1) in a glass greenhouse. The biochar was produced by pyrolysis at 450℃ for 30 minutes using rice husk and rice straw. Wood vinegar was diluted to 1 : 500 (v·v^-1) and used in this experiement. In the results of a cultivation experiment, co-application of biochar and wood vinegar enhanced the growth of perilla. In particular, rice husk biochar affected the leaves of the perilla, and rice straw biochar influenced the stems of the perilla. In addition, soil quality after treatment with biochar and wood vinegar applied together was highest compared to other units. Therefore, it is anticipated that co-application of biochar and wood vinegar will be more productive and improve soil quality compared to individual utilization of biochar and wood vinegar.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.310-317
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: The salt in soil interrupts crop growth. Therefore, water resources are used to remove any salt found in the soil. However, water resources have been reduced by global warming; thus, a new study is required into reducing the salt in soil. Recently, the bottom ash (BA) of a biomass power plant was found to be similar to biochar. Hence, it can be used to remove heavy metals and wastewater through the adsorption characteristics of BA. The objective of this study was to evaluate the improvement effects on crop growth in saline soil containing the BA from biomass power plants. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect on crop growth in the saline soil supplemented with BA was studied with the crop-planted pots, which were packed by reclaimed greenhouse soils collected from Byolyang, Suncheon. The BA application level was 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 kg/10a (referred as BA25, BA50, BA100, BA200, and BA400, respectively). The BA increased the fresh weights of the leaf and root, while nitrogen uptake increased by approximately 24-102% and 54-77%, respectively for the lead and root. The phosphorous uptake increased by 38%, although only in the leaf of the lettuce. In the case of soil, BA increased water content, pH, EC, CEC, and NH₄⁺ and the SAR of the soil decreased by 5-15%. The bottom ash increased the contents of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and fixed the amount of Na⁺. CONCLUSION(S): It was confirmed the bottom ash of a biomass power plant, based on wood pellets, improved crop growth, and increased the nutrient uptake of crops in saline soil. In addition, bottom ash, which has a wide range of porosity and high values of pH and EC, improved properties of the saline soil. However, the BA has a large amount of B, As, and heavy metals. Finally, it may require a study on the safety and contamination of heavy metals contained in the bottom ash, which would be applied in soil for a long time.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.206-211
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• 2017

The physical method used to prevent a landslide has the risk of environmental pollution. Calcite forming bacteria (CFB) have been received increasing attention as a novel and environmental friendly strategy for the soil improvement. In this study, we selected 11 CFB strains with high calcite production. We also examined survivability and calcite productivity of the strains under various stress conditions to select strains with high resistance to various stresses. Two strains was selected by environment stress. Sphingobacterium sp. KJ-32 and Viridibacillus arenosi B-25 precipitate calcite more than other strains at pH 5 and $15^{\circ}C$ respectively. Bio-consolidated soil cakes were made using various calcium salts (calcium chloride, calcium acetate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate) with mixed culture of 2 strains. Among them, the calcite made using calcium chloride was the largest. These observations demonstrate that this bio-consolidation technology has the potential for eco-friendly prevention of landslide and soil improvement.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.383-391
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• 2019

Bio-grouting based on microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is recently emerging as a novel and environmentally friendly technique for improvement of coarse-grained ground. To date, the mechanical behaviour of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different calcite contents and grain sizes still remains poorly understood. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of calcite content on the mechanical properties of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different grain sizes. This is achieved through an integrated study of uniaxial loading experiments of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil, 3D digitization of the grains in conjunction with discrete element modelling (DEM). In the DEM model, aggregates were represented by clump logic based on the 3D morphology digitization of the typical coarse-grained aggregates while the CaCO₃ was represented by small-sized bonded particle model. The computed stress-strain relations and failure patterns of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil were validated against the measured results. Both experimental and numerical investigation suggest that aggregate sizes and calcite content significantly influence the mechanical behaviour of bio-cemented aggregates. The strength of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil increases linearly with calcite content, but decreases non-linearly with the increasing particle size for all calcite contents. The experimental-based DEM approach developed in this study also offers an optional avenue for the exploring of micro-mechanisms contributing to the mechanical response of bio-grouted coarse-grained soils.

• International Journal of Railway
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.90-94
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• 2013

Cement or lime is generally used to improve the strength of soil. However, bacteria were utilized to produce cementation of loose soils in this study. The microo rganism called Bacillus, and $CaCl_2$ was introduced into loose sand and soft silt and $CaCO_3$ in the voids of soil particles were produced, leading to cementation of soil particles. In this study, loose sand and soft silt typically encountered in Korea were bio-treated with 3 types of bacteria concentration. The cementation (or calcite precipitation) in the soil particles induced by the high concentration bacteria treatment was investigated at 7 days after curing. Based on the results of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) tests and EDX analyses, high concentration bacteria treatment for loose sand was observed to produce noticeable amount of $CaCO_3$, implying a significant cementation of soil particles. It was observed that higher calcium carbonate depositions were observed in poorly graded distribution as compared to well graded distribution. In addition, effectiveness of biogrouting has also been found to be feasible by bio-treatment without any cementing agent.

• Carbon letters
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• v.26
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• pp.66-73
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• 2018

We assessed the effects of combining bio-char with straw residue mulching on the loss of soil soluble nutrients and citrus yield in sloping land. The two-year study showed that straw residue mulching (ST) and bio-char application combined with straw residue (ST+BC) can significantly reduce soil soluble nutrient loss when compared with the control treatment (CK). The comparative volume of the soil surface runoff after each of the treatments was as follows: CK > ST > ST + BC. Compared with the CK, the runoff volume of the ST was reduced by 13.6 % and 8.5 % in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Compared with the CK, combining bio-char with the ST application reduced the loss of soluble nitrogen and improved the soil total nitrogen content reaching a significant level in 2015. It dramatically increased the soil organic matter content over the two year period (36.3% in 2014, 50.6% in 2015) as well as the carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) (16.6% in 2014 and 39.3% in 2015). Straw mulching combined with bio-char showed a trend for increasing the citrus yield.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the application effect of liquid fertilizer using pig cadavers on potato and corn cultivations in upland field. Field experiments were designed with control (Cn), liquid fertilizer (LF), inorganic fertilizer (IF), and LF + IF treatments. Crop yields in potato and corn cultivations were higher in the order of $LF+I{\geq_-}IF{\geq_-}LF$ > Cn treatments. The potato and corn yields in LF + IF treatment were 237% and 29% greater than those in Cn treatment, respectively. Following crops harvest, soil status was improved, showing greater soil chemical properties in the LF treated areas compared to those in the Cn treatment. In addition, total $CO_2$ fluxes in LF + IF treatment during potato and corn cultivations were significantly increased compared with Cn and IF treatments. Therefore, these results suggest that LF application was effective on crop cultivation and improvement of soil fertility.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2014

Bed-soils can be used to help plants to overcome unfavorable conditions of soils, especially hydraulic properties of soils. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic raw materials on saturated hydraulic conductivity ($K_s$) of bed-soils. Perlite and bottom ash, which are inorganic materials, increased more $K_s$ of bed-soils than coco peat, an organic material. However, vermiculite, an inorganic material, increased less than coco peat. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of bed-soil mixed with fine vermiculite ($0.14{\pm}0.02mh^{-1}$) was much lower than one containing coarse vermiculite ($0.85{\pm}0.21mh^{-1}$). Such effect was more apparent when pressure was added on bed-soils containing fine vermiculite ($0.07{\pm}0.01mh^{-1}$), probably reflecting the decrease in pore size with the expansion of vermiculite wetted. Compacting decreased more $K_s$ in the bed-soils containing coco peat or vermiculite than other mixtures. Those results suggest that perlite and bottom ash in bed-soils play an important role in improving saturated hydraulic conductivity but vermiculite in bed-soils may suppress the improvement of saturated hydraulic conductivity with the decrease of its size and with the increase of compacting pressure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bio-Environment Control Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.112-115
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• 1997

지온은 작물뿌리의 신장, 양분 및 수분흡수에 직접적인 영향을 미칠 뿐 아니라 토양 미생물의 활동과 토양내 화학작용에 관여하기 때문에 겨울철 시설재배 토양의 온도관리는 기온 관리 못지 않게 중요하다. 근래에 전열선을 이용한 지중가온으로 풋고추와 수박의 수량을 향상시켰으나 실용화에는 여러 가지 문제점이 있다. (중략)

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.260-268
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• 2008

Optical diffuse reflectance sensing has potential for rapid and reliable on-site estimation of soil properties. For good results, proper calibration to measured soil properties is required. One issue is whether it is necessary to develop calibrations using samples from the specific area or areas (e.g., field, soil series) in which the sensor will be applied, or whether a general "factory" calibration is sufficient. A further question is if specific calibration is required, how many sample points are needed. In this study, these issues were addressed using data from 42 paddy fields representing 14 distinct soil series accounting for 74% of the total Korean paddy field area. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to develop calibrations between soil properties and reflectance spectra. Model evaluation was based on coefficient of determination ($R^2$) root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and RPD, the ratio of standard deviation to RMSEP. When sample data from a soil series were included in the calibration stage (full information calibration), RPD values of prediction models were increased by 0.03 to 3.32, compared with results from calibration models not including data from the test soil series (calibration without site-specific information). Higher $R^2$ values were also obtained in most cases. Including some samples from the test soil series (hybrid calibration) generally increased RPD rapidly up to a certain number of sample points. A large portion of the potential improvement could be obtained by adding about 8 to 22 points, depending on the soil properties to be estimated, where the numbers were 10 to 18 for pH, 18-22 for EC, and 8 to 22 for total C. These results provide guidance on sampling and calibration requirements for NIR soil property estimation.