• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.158-166
• /
• 2017

The object of this study was to improve tomato seedling quality in low temperature(below 7, $10^{\circ}C$ during night time or daily mean air temperature was $18^{\circ}C$) by application of silicate fertilizer. Six different silicate fertilizer concentrations (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256mM) or water as the control were applied to tomato seedlings twice a week for 20 days. Positive effects were observed in the growth parameters of the seedlings treated with 16 and 32mM silicate fertilizer; the most effective concentration of silicate at which seedlings showed the best performance was 16mM. However, a high concentration of silicate (256mM) caused negative effects on the growth. The transpiration rate decreased alongside with the increase of silicate concentration up to 32mM, possibly due to the increased stomatal diffusive resistance. Silicate stimulated the growth and development of tomato seedlings, resulting in increased growth parameters and root morphology. However, no significant differences were observed among treatment numbers of soil-drenching wuth the silicate (6, 10, or 20 times with 16mM) for 20 days, suggesting that silicate treatment with 6 times may be sufficient to induce the silicate effects. The application of 16mM of silicate fertilizer reduced relative ion leakage and chilling injury during low temperature storage. In addition, the seedlings treated with silicate fertilizer recovered faster than those without silicate treatment after low temperature storage.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.438-446
• /
• 2019

The interest in mini watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) with small fruits weighing 2-3 kg has increased by the increasing trend in one-person households and consequent tendency to consume small meals. Watermelon grafting onto cucurbit rootstocks is a very effective way to control soil-borne diseases, such as Fusarium wilt; however, this practice negatively impacts the fruit quality. This study was conducted to investigate the growth, fruit set, and fruit quality of mini watermelon grafted onto wild watermelon accessions (Citrullus spp.) resistant to Fusarium wilt. Five watermelon accessions (Galactica, IT 208441, PI 482322, PI 500303, and PI 593358) were evaluated as rootstocks for the mini watermelon "Ministar". Non-grafted "Ministar" and "Ministar" grafted onto "Shintozwa" (Cucurbita maxima D. C. moschata D.) or "Bullojangsaeng" (Lagenaria leucantha) were used as controls. The roots of the transplants grafted onto "PI 593358" and "Shintozwa" weighed more than those on other rootstocks. Additionally, the transplants on "PI 593358" showed better growth and fruit set in the field than the other transplants. However, the total soluble solid contents and fruit quality indices of the transplants on "PI 593358" and "Shintozwa" were lower, whereas the total fruit quality index of those on "PI 482322" was higher. Thus, the wild watermelon accessions tested can potentially be used as basic germplasm for developing watermelon rootstocks instead of cucurbit rootstocks. The most promising accession for this purpose was found to be "PI 482322".

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.418-428
• /
• 2007

Physical and chemical properties of the aggregate by-products including sludge and crushed dust samples collected from the 21 private companies throughout the country were analyzed to evaluate possible usage of the by-products as artificial soil materials for plantation. The pH of the materials ranged from 8.0 to 11.0. The organic matter content was $2.85g\;kg^{-1}$, and the total nitrogen content and available phosphate content were low as 0.7 percents and $12.98mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Exchangeable $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, and $Na^+$ were 2.29, 0.47, 0.02 and $0.05cmol\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Heavy metal contents were lower than the limits regulated by environmental law of Korea. Textural analysis showed that most of the materials were silt loam with low water holding capacity ranged from 0.67 to 7.41 percents, and with low hydraulic conductivity ranged from 0.4 to $2.8m\;s^{-1}$. Mineralogical analysis showed that the aggregate by product materials were mostly composed of silicate, alumina and ferric oxides except calcium oxide dominant materials derived from limestones. The primary minerals were quartz, feldspars and dolomites derived from granite and granitic gneiss materials. Some samples derived from limestone material showed calcite and graphite together with the above minerals. According to the result, it can be concluded that the materials could be used as the artificial soil material for plantation after proper improvement of the physico-chemical properties and fertility.