• Fibers and Polymers
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.286-294
• /
• 2006

This study has examined the flexural properties of natural and chemically modified coir fiber reinforced cementitious composites (CFRCC). Coir fibers of two different average lengths were used, and the longer coir fibers were also treated with a 1% NaOH solution for comparison. The fibers were combined with cementitious materials and chemical agents (dispersant, defoamer or wetting agent) to form CFRCC. The flexural properties of the composites, including elastic stress, flexural strength, toughness and toughness index, were measured. The effects of fiber treatments, addition of chemical agents and accelerated ageing of composites on the composites' flexural properties were examined. The results showed that the CFRCC samples were 5-12 % lighter than the conventional mortar, and that the addition of coir fibers improved the flexural strength of the CFRCC materials. Toughness and toughness index, which were associated with the work of fracture, were increased more than ten times. For the alkalized long coir fiber composites, a higher immediate and long-term toughness index was achieved. SEM microstructure images revealed improved physicochemical bonding in the treated CFRCC.

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

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2024

This study aimed to determine the most suitable coir substrate mixing ratio for optimizing the growth and yield of the "lpduelkkae 1" cultivar. We comprehensively analyzed the physicochemical properties, growth, and yields of four different substrate combinations: perlite (coir with mixing ratios of 70:30 (PC30), 50:50 (PC50), and 30:70 (PC70)) and 100% coir (C100). The results revealed substantial differences in substrate properties. C100 exhibited the highest total porosity and the lowest solid phase, indicating excellent air permeability. The pH levels and electrical conductivity (EC) values ranged from 5.4-6.8 and 1.2-3.1 dS·m^-1, respectively. Leaf growth parameters, including length, width, and dry weight, showed positive correlations with high coir ratios, except for PC30. PC70 and C100 outperformed other substrates in stem growth, exhibiting superior stem diameter and fresh and dry weights. The quantity of marketable leaves was the highest in the C100 substrate. Furthermore, C100 comprised integrated levels of essential nutrients, such as Ca and Mg, owing to its high coir content. In conclusion, a coir ratio of approximately 70% (v/v) should be maintained in the substrate for creating an optimal cultivation environment. Furthermore, the selection of humidity-resistant varieties as well as precise nutrient and moisture management for different seasons and growth stages are crucial for a successful perilla leaf hydroponic cultivation.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.362-371
• /
• 2012

Objective of this research was to secure the information on physical and chemical properties of peatmoss and coir dust. To achieve this, 6 kinds of peatmoss and 10 kinds of coir dust currently used in the country as the root medium components in plant factories were collected and analysed. The mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation (SD) of total porosity and container capacity in peatmoss and coir dust were $79.6{\pm}5.04$ and $83.6{\pm}6.18%$, and $69.9{\pm}10.17$ and $65.9{\pm}3.46%$, respectively. These indicate that peatmoss has higher water holding capacity than coir dust and the characteristics are highly varied among peatmoss. The 4 out of 5 kinds of peatmoss had lower than 10%, but coir dust had 12~26%, of air-filled porosity. The percentage of easily available water and buffering water in peatmoss and coir dust was 18~22 and 11~16% and 9~13 and 5.5~7.5%, respectively. These results indicate that precise irrigation is required when coir dust is used as the root medium. The ranges of pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were 3.46~4.17 and $0.137{\sim}0.253dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in peatmoss and 5.31~6.48 and $0.250{\sim}0.1.580dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in coir dust. However, $0.563{\pm}0.83dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ in mean ${\pm}$SD of coir dust EC indicates that it is higher than that of peatmoss, and the coir dust are highly varied in EC. The cation exchange capacity of peatmoss was 3 to 4 times as high as that of coir dust. The coir dust had higher $NO_3$ and $PO_4$ and lower $NH_4$ than peatmoss. The K and Na concentrations in coir dust were extremely high indicating that these ions caused the rising in EC. The percentage of hot water and alkali extracts of peatmoss were 6.67~16.37 and 0~38%, whereas those of coir dust were 30.0~65.1 and 23.1~70.3%. These results mean that possible existence of growth inhibiting materials in coir dust.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.25-35
• /
• 2001

This study aims to find out the growth characteristics of riparian plants on the artificial floating islands (AFI). Three types of experiments were performed. The vegetation growth were compared by the plant-supporting materials; natural cotton mat, coir mat on the AFI or in the water, and natural soil at the waterfront. Major findings are; 1. The survival rate of riparian plants was 100% on both coir-mat and cotton-matislands, which implies that we may substitute cheaper cotton for expensive coir-mat. 2. Both natural cotton mat and coir mat were good for the growth of plants. Especially, the natural cotton mat was good for Sparganium stoloniferum and Miscanthus sacchariflorus, and the coir mat was good for Typha latifolia. 3. The growth rate of stem and root showed difference between the stem-removed plants and stem-remaining plants. As a whole, the growth rate of stem-removed plants was bigger than the one of stem-remaining plants. 4. The growth rate of plants showed difference between those grown on the AFI and those grown in the water. The growth rate of plant on the AFI was bigger than the one in the water. 5. The growth rate of plants on the AFI was bigger than the one on the natural soil at the waterfront.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.170-179
• /
• 2012

We examined pretreatment methods eliminating potassium and sodium efficiently for coir bag used in hydroponics by analyzing drainage coming from coir bags. In the first experiment we investigated for six coir bags with the high market shares. The three types of pretreatment were washing coir bags with only water for 7 days (W7S0), washing with water for 4 days and further with nutrient solution for 3 days (W4S3), and washing with only nutrient solution for 7 days (W0S7). In the second experiment we tested reproducibility of the experiment results for Bio Grow and coco Mix among six coir bags used in the first experiment to verify the results. As a result, the best pretreatments for the pH stabilization were W4S3 and W0S7. The EC value of the drainage was stabilized to less than 1.0 that is the same as EC of the supply solution on the fourth day in all treatments. The nutrients of the drainage in W7S0 was stabilized in 3~4 days but calcium and magnesium were depleted. We assessed that washing longer than 4 days was waste of water. The stabilization of coir bags in W0S7 was similar to it in W4S3, but washing with the nutrient solution for 7 days seemed to be uneconomical. The reproducibility experiment for two coir bags ensured the results in the first experiment. Therefore, the pretreatment method, which is the most simple to implement and economic, seems to wash with water for 3 days and then with the nutrient solution for 1 day before planting on coir bag.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.605-612
• /
• 2021

Supply electrical conductivity (EC) concentration of the nutrition solution is an important factor in the absorption of nutrients by plants and the management of the root zone, as it can control the vegetative/reproductive growth of a plant. Paprika usually undergoes its reproductive and vegetative growth simultaneously. Therefore, ensuring proper growth of the plant leads to increased yield of paprika. In this study, growth characteristics of paprika were examined according to the EC concentration of a coir and a rockwool substrate. The supply EC was 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mS·cm^-1 applied at the initial stages of the growth using the rockwool (commonly used by paprika farmers) and the coir substrate with a chip and dust ratio of 50:50 and 70:30. For up to 16 weeks of paprika growth, EC concentrations of 1.0 and 2.0 mS·cm^-1 were found to have a greater effect on the growth than EC at 4.0 mS·cm^-1. The normality (marketable) rate of fruit, the soluble solid content, and paprika growth showed that the coir was generally better than the rockwool regardless of the supply EC concentration. The values of the yield per plant at an EC concentration of 4.0 mS·cm^-1 was mostly similar at 1.6 kg (coir 50:50), 1.5 kg (coir 70:30) and 1.5 kg (rockwool), but the yield of the rockwool was 88%, which was lower than 98% and 94% yield of the coir substrate. Therefore, this concludes that coir substrate is more effective than rockwool at improving paprika productivity. The results also suggest that the use of coir substrate for paprika has many benefits in terms of reducing production costs and preventing environmental destruction during post-processing.

• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.205-213
• /
• 2017

The current study was performed to investigate the effect of recycling coir substrates on the growth, fruit yield, and quality of strawberry plants. Analysis of physical properties revealed that the pH of a fresh coir substrate was 5.04 while those of substrates reused for one and two years were 5.20 and 5.33, respectively. The electrical conductivity (EC) of a new substrate was as high as $4.58dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. This can cause salt stress after transplanting. The EC tended to decrease as the substrate was recycled, and the EC of a two-year recycled substrate was $1.48dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The fresh substrate had lower nitrogen and calcium concentrations, but higher phosphate, potassium, and sodium concentrations than the recycled coir substrate. The coir substrates recycled for one or two years maintained better chemical properties for plant growth than the fresh substrate. Strawberry growth varied depending on the number of years that the coir substrate was recycled. In general, strawberries grown in substrates that had been reused for two years did better than those grown in substrates that had been reused once or were fresh. Ninety days after transplanting, a plant grown in a substrate that had been reused for two years contained 25 leaves, which was 3.6 more than with a fresh substrate. In addition, the plants grown in a substrate that had been reused for two years exhibited larger leaf areas than those grown in other substrates. Coir substrates that had been reused for one year increased the number and area of leaves, but not as much as the substrate that had been reused for two years. One- and two-year reused coir substrates increased the weight of strawberries produced relative to the unused substrate, but the difference was not statistically significant. The plants grown in two-year reused substrates were longer and wider, as well. Also, the number of fruits per plant was higher when substrates were reused. Specifically, the number of fruits per plant was 28.7 with a two-year reused substrate, but only 22.2 with a fresh substrate. The fruit color indices (as represented by their Hunter L, a, b values) were not considerably affected by recycling of the coir substrate. The Hunter L value, which indicates the brightness of the fruit, did not change significantly when the substrate was recycled. Neither Hunter a (red) nor b (yellow) values were changed by recycling. In addition, there were no significant changes in the hardnesses, acidities, or soluble solid-acid ratios of fruits grown in recycled substrates. Thus, it is thought that recycling the coir substrate does not affect measures of fruit quality such as color, hardness, and sugar content. Overall, reuse of coir substrates from hydroponic culture as high-bed strawberry growth substrates would solve the problems of new substrate costs and the disposal of substrates that had been used once.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2022

This study was conducted to examine an alternative cultivating method that uses coir substrates in a hydroponically cultured system. Three treatment conditions were applied with one-layer substrate (10 cm height) with a coir chip and dust ratio of 5:5 (Treatment A), two-layer coir substrate (20 cm height) with a coir chip and dust ratio of 5:5 (Treatment B), one-layer coir substrate (15 cm height) with a coir chip and dust ratio of 7:3 (Treatment C). The control condition was a plastic container filled with a coir chip and dust ratio of 5:5. Various criteria were measured and compared between the treatments and the control. The yield of strawberry was smaller in the control than in the treatments. No significant difference in growth characteristic was found in the height treatments of the coir substrates. The net photosynthetic rate of the treatments was 14.68-15.76 µmol CO₂·m^-2·s^-1. This does not show a statistically significant difference. The root activity was better in treatment B and C than in treatment A and the control. The length and width of leaves were measured as 4.04-4.13 cm and 3.26-3.34 cm. These results are not statistically significant. The leaf length and width ratio was 1.27 in the control and 1.24 in the treatments. The findings show that no statistically significant benefit was found when utilizing coir substrates with different height treatments in the hydroponic culture system. However, the harvested fruit per plant weights 72.38 g in treatment A and 48.69 g in treatment C. The number of harvested fruit was least in treatment C in which a coir chip and dust ratio of 7:3 was applied. Therefore, further research is needed to examine how the chip and dust ratio in coir substrate affects growth characteristics.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate growth responses at 45 days after cutting in six Sedum cultivars (S. reflexum 'Blue Spruce', S. rupestre 'Angelina', S. sexangulare, S. sexangulare var. elatum, S. spurium 'Atropurpureus', S. takesimense) using vegetation mats (individual coir tape and jute treated with different thicknesses and soil compositions) to broaden usefulness of evergreen Sedum cultivars. All the treatments including both single and interaction between treatments showed significant effects (p<0.001) on the number of branches, plant height, and shoot fresh weight except the number of branches treated with different mat types. No. of branches was showed two times in compost than in sand regardless of cultivars and mat types with the exception of S. takesimense showing no added branches in all treatments. Each plant height of all the cultivars except 'Angelina' showed the highest value under the conditions treated with 5 mm thick coir tape using compost. The fresh weight of 'Blue Spruce' treated with 5 mm thick coir tape using compost was 13.19 g of which value was the highest in all treatments. The better growth response in all Sedum cultivars was shown in the treatment of 5 mm thick coir tape than with jute net treatment.