• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Soil amendment was necessary applied for the sand that had been used to root zone of green ground in golf course because of its low water retention power and cation exchangeable capacity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the mixed ratio of peat moss and coconut coir as soil amendment materials on the soil physicochemical properties applied to rootzone based on sand. METHODS AND RESULTS: The soil amendments were blended at 0, 3, 5, 7 and 10% by soil volume. The pH in the peat moss treatment was lower than that of control (0% soil amendment), and pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in the coconut coir were higher. The blending ratio of peat moss was negatively correlated with pH of rootzone soil (p<0.01), and that of coconut coir positively with EC (p<0.01). As compared with control, capillary porosity, the physical factors such as air-filled porosity, total porosity, and hydraulic conductivity of rootzone soil were increased by applying peat moss and coconut coir. For correlation coefficients between percentage of soil amendments and soil physical factors, peat moss and coconut coir were positively correlated with porosity and hydraulic conductivity (p<0.01). CONCLUSION(S): These results indicated that the application of peat moss and coconut coir affected on the change of physicochemical properties of rootzone soil, and improved soil porosity and hydraulic conductivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bio-Environment Control Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.230-234
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• 2007

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.627-634
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• 2018

Soil stabilization is an essential engineering process to enhance the geotechnical properties of soils that are not suitable for construction purposes. This study focuses on using coconut coir, a natural fibre to enhance the soil properties. Lime, an activator is added to the reinforced soil to augment its shear strength and durability. An experimental investigation was conducted to demonstrate the effect of coconut coir fibers and lime on the consistency limits, compaction characteristics, unconfined compressive strength, stress-strain behaviour, subgrade strength and durability of the treated soil. The results of the study illustrate that lime stabilization and coir reinforcement improves the unconfined compressive strength, post peak failure strength, controls crack propagation and boosts the tensile strength of the soil. Coir reinforcement provides addition contact surface, improving the soil-fibre interaction and increasing the interlocking between fibre and soil and thereby improve strength. Optimum performance of soil is observed at 1.25% coir fibre inclusion. Coir being a natural product is prone to degradation and to increase the durability of the coir reinforced soil, lime is used. Lime stabilization favourably amends the geotechnical properties of the coir fibre reinforced soil.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.597-612
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• 2016

The present work focuses on the use of coconut fiber in self compacting concrete. Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable, stable concrete which flows readily into place, filling formwork without any consolidation and without undergoing any significant segregation. Use of fibers in SCC bridge the cracks and enhance the performance of concrete by not allowing cracks to propagate. They contribute to an increased energy absorption compared to plain concrete. Coconut fiber has the highest toughness among all natural fibers. It is known that structures in the seismic prone areas are always under the influence of cyclic loading. To justify the importance of strengthening SCC beams with coir fiber, the present work has been undertaken. A comparison is made between cyclic and static loading of coconut fiber reinforced self compacting concrete (FRSCC) members. Using the test data obtained from the experiment, hysteresis loops were drawn and comparison of envelope curve, energy dissipation, stiffness degradation were made and important conclusions were draw to justify the use of coconut fiber in SCC.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2014

This experiment has investigated suitable methods to improve precision water content monitoring of coconut coir substrates to control irrigation by frequency domain reflectometry(FDR) sensors. Specifically, water content changes and variations were observed at different sensing distances and positions from the irrigation dripper location, and different spaces between the FDR sensors with or without noise filters. Commercial coconut coir substrates containing different ratios of dust and chips(10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7) were used. On the upper side and the side of the substrates, a FDR sensor was used at 5, 10, 20, 30cm distances respectively from the irrigation dripper point, and water content was measured by time after the irrigation. In the glass beads, sensors were installed with or without noise filtering. Closer sensing distance had a higher water content increasing rate, regardless of different coir substrate ratios. There were no differencies of water content increasing rates in 10:0 and 3:7 substrates between the upper side and the side. Whereas, 7:3 and 5:5 substrates showed higher increasing rates on the upper side measurements. Substrates with higher ratios of chip(3:7) had lower increasing rates than others. And, with noise filters, the exatitude of measurement was improved because the variation and deviation were reduced. Therefore, in coconut coir with FDR sensors, an efficient water content measurment to control irrigations can be achieved by installing sensors closer to an irrigation point and upper side of substrates with noise filters.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.138-142
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• 2008

To develop suitable alternative substrates in hydroponics of sweet pepper, changes of water contents of substrates and electric conductivity (EC) of drainage nutrient solution, growth and fruit characteristics according to the kind of coir substrates were investigated compared with rockwool. In all coir substrates compared with rockwool during growing period, water contents were higher, EC of drainage nutrient solution except for fiber 50% were lower, and the coefficient of variation were a little, especially were so in fiber 30% of coir substrates. Plant growth in fiber 30% substrate was better than others but there was no significant difference. Photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll content were best in fiber 50% substrate. Fruit weight was no significant difference, but LID ratio and shape of the fruits were good in fiber 50% substrate and rockwool as which were close to regular square. Therefore, it was estimated that mixed coir substrates with fiber $30{\sim}50%$ are enough in possibility as alternative substrate.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2011

The influence of physicochemical properties of root substrates on the growth of mother plants and occurrence of daughter plants in 'Seolhyang' strawberry propagation were investigated through plastic bag cultivation. Six different formulations of root substrates were coir dust + perlite (5:5, A), coir dust + perlite (6:4, B), coir dust + perlite (7:3, C), coir dust + coconut chip (7:3, D), coir dust + coconut chip (6:4, E), and peatmoss + vermiculite (5:5, v/v; F). The total porosities (TP) and container capacities (CC) of all root substrates were higher than 85% and 55%, respectively, indicating that all substrates were in the acceptable range. But the TP and CC of F substrate were 91.5% and 60%, respectively, which were the highest among the root substrates tested. In the soil chemical properties analyzed before planting and after harvesting of 'Seolhyang' strawberry mother plants, the root substrates of A, B, C, and F had higher electrical conductivity and $NO_3$-N concentrations than those of D and F. The root substrates of A, B, C, and F had heavier runner fresh and dry weights, longer runner lengths, and more daughter plant occurrence than those of D and F. The treatment F had higher tissue N content than any other treatments at 120 days after the transplanting of 'Seolhyang' strawberry and statistical differences were not observed among remained 5 substrates. The treatment of F also had the higher tissue contents of other nutrients except N analyzed at 120 days after transplanting. These results indicated that soil chemical properties rather than physical properties severely influenced the growth of runners and occurrence of daughter plants.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2010

The objective of this research was to determine the influence of the physical and chemical properties of root substrates used during the production of 'Maehyang' strawberry propaguleson the growth of the mother plants and the rate of daughter plant formation. Plants were cultured in plastic bags containing six different formulations of root substrates composed of: a) 50% coir dust and 50% perlite (5:5 by volume, A), b) 60% coir dust and 40% perlite (6:4, B), c) 70% coir dust and 30% perlite (7:3, C), d) 70% coir dust and 30% coconut chip (7:3 D), e) 60% coir dust and 40% coconut chip (60:40, E), or f) 50% sphagnum peat and 50% vermiculite (50:50, F). All media formulations contained a moderate level of base fertilizers. Physical and chemical properties of each formulation were determined before plant establishment and after 120 days of stock plant culture and runner production. Total porosity (TP) and container capacity (CC) of all substrate formulations were higher than 85% and 55%, respectively, allowing a suitable range of air and water holding characteristics. Formulation F provided the highest TP and CC values among the all substrate modifications evaluated. Substrate formulations A, B, C and F had higher electrical conductivity (EC) and $NO_3{^-}$-N concentrations than formulations D and E, when determined before and after plant culture. Formulations A, B, C, and F, having higher EC readings, also performed better as root substrates thanthe formulations D and E in increasing fresh and dry weights of the runners as well as the production of daughter plants per plant. The 'Maehyang' strawberry plants grown in the formulation F had the highest tissue N content, followed by those grown in substrate B, A, C, or D for 120 days after transplanting. Formulation F also facilitated accumulation of higher tissue phosphorus (P) and copper (Cu) contents compared to other treatments. Results of this experiment suggest that the chemical properties, rather than physical properties, of root substrates had a major influence on the growth of mother plants and the occurrence of healthy daughter plants during the bag-culture phase of propagation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1360-1366
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• 2018

The fungi associated with termites secrete enzymes such as laccase (multi-copper oxidase) that can degrade extracellular wood matrix. Laccase uses molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor to catalyze the degradation of organic compounds. Owing to its ability to transfer electrons from the cathodic electrode to molecular oxygen, laccase has the potential to be a biocatalyst on the surface of the cathodic electrode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this study, a two-chamber MFC using the laccase-producing fungus Galactomyces reessii was investigated. The fungus cultured on coconut coir was placed in the cathode chamber, while an anaerobic microbial community was maintained in the anode chamber fed by industrial rubber wastewater and supplemented by sulfate and a pH buffer. The laccase-based biocathode MFC (lbMFC) produced the maximum open circuit voltage of 250 mV, output voltage of 145 mV (with a $1,000{\Omega}$ resistor), power density of $59mW/m^2$, and current density of $278mA/m^2$, and a 70% increase in half-cell potential. This study demonstrated the capability of laccase-producing yeast Galactomyces reessii as a biocatalyst on the cathode of the two-chamber lbMFC.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.210-214
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• 2008

This experiment was carried out investigation of optimum concentration of supply nutrient solution in hydroponics of sweet pepper using coir substrates (coconut dust fiber=70% : 30%, v/v). During the growing period, it was found out that the electric conductivity (EC) would increase in proportion to the supply nutrient concentration but it was in inverse proportion to the moisture content. The pH of drainage was stable, while EC was high showing EC $7.3\;dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in EC $4.0\;dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of supply nutrient concentration. Also, standard deviation and coefficient of variation were high. Plant length was no difference by the supply nutrient concentration. Photosynthesis rate was generally high in supply nutrient concentration EC$4.0\;dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. Fruit weight was heavy in supply nutrient concentration EC $4.0\;dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, fruit shape was close to a regular square in supply nutrient concentration EC $3.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$.