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

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 1969

The study on physico-chemical characteristics of the acid sulfate soil present in Kimhae plain was carried out with 28 surface and subsoils from lower and higher produtive area and two representative profile samples from the areas reclaimed a few decades ago and around 10 years ago respectively. 1. There are no differences in soil texture between lower and higher productive soils being mostly silty clay loam and silty clay. 2. Very significant differences in pH, degree of base saturation and extractable aluminium content are observed; lower pH, lower degree of base saturation and higher aluminium in the lower productive soils and subsoils. The pH and degree of base saturation of these soils are extremely low whereas aluminium content is very high compared to ordinary paddy soil. 3. Cation exchange capacity of these soils are slightly higher than ordinary paddy soils. In higher productive soils, exchangeable calcium and magnesium are of same order, whereas in lower productive soils magnesium content is appreciably higher than calcium. 4. Though the soil is derived from marine and estuarine sediment, the soluble salt content is not high. There are only few lower productive surface soils and subsoils having Ec values of the saturation extracts higher than 4 mmhos but lower than 9 mmhos/cm. 5. Organic matter content of these soils is a bit higher compared to ordinary paddy soils, but, nitrogen content is comparatively low. C/N ratio of these soils is around 12. 6. Sulfur content is considerably higher but oxidizable sulfur is found to be very low. Total sulfur is generally high in subsoils and lower productive soils. 7. Active iron and available silica are slightly higher than ordinary paddy soils but easily reducible manganese is very low. Almost no differences are also observed between lower and higher productive soils. 8. Available phosphorus content is extremely low in particular, regardless of higher or lower productive soils. 9. The two representative profiles from the area of earlier reclamation and recent one show that samples from earlier reclaimed area contain less amount of free acids, sulfur compounds, toxic aluminium and soluble salts etc. than the other. This indicate greater leaching and possible addition of lime for a longer period of time. 10. From the results obtained, it can be concluded the higher productivity of group I soils is due to the greater leaching and neutralisation of acidity by liming materials, It can also be concluded that the productivity of both types can be increased by addition of liming materials and improvement of drainage facilities.