• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2021

This experiment was conducted to find out the possibility of use of reused rockwool and comparison of growth, productivity and quality of tomatoes according to the use of rockwool and coir medium. The experiment was conducted in an automatic controlled greenhouse at Andong National University, College of Life Science, located in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do.. As a result of the experiment, there was no difference in the number of leaves, plant height, and leaf area between treatments, and the crown diameter was slightly higher in rockwool medium, also there was no difference between reused rockwool and coir medium. Fruit productivity showed different responses depending on the cultivation environment, but there was no significant difference between rockwool, reused rockwool and coir medium. In addition, the quality of fruit was observed to be different according to the concentration of EC in the medium. Therefore, in tomato hydroponic cultivation, there was no difference in the type of medium in growth, productivity, fruit quality and the environmental and water management had a great effect, and it is expected that the reuse of rockwool will have a positive effect on the economic point of view.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.160-165
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of several substrates; used rockwool, several spent mushroom composts, and common used media, such as rockwool and vermiculite, on growth and fruit quality of cucumber. Cucumber grew dramatically in the rockwool+peatmoss (1:2 v/v) (RP) and fine granular rockwool in hydroponic system using Yamaztiki's solution for cucumbers. The yield of cucumber fruit was highest in recycled winter mushroom compost (RW), and followed by 100% perlite (Par), recycled oyster mushroom compost (RO), and RR but there was no significant difference among these three media. Soluble solid and firmness were higher in Per and vermiculite (Ver), and any difference was not found among the others. Vitamin C was not influenced by kind of substrate. The results confirm that several reused or recycled substrates have high possibilities for use as medium for hydroponic culture in cucumber.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.190-194
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of several subtrates on the growth of cucumber and tomato seedlings. Cucumber and tomato seeds were sown in plug trays that were filled with eight differenct kinds of substrates. One of them was filled with recycled rockwool by 100%. The other six were mixed with used rockwool media:several ratios of recycled rockwool+peatmoss (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, v/v) and recycled rockwool+chestnut wood ships (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, v/v), and the last was 100% chestnut wood chips. The growth of cucumber and tomato seedlingsin 72 plug tray was better in recycled rockwool+peatmoss (1:2, v/v) substrates that the others tested. CEC 9cation exchange capacity) and EC was a little higher in mixed substrates that blended with organic media. But 100% chestnut wood chips and mixed ones with recycled rockwool inhibited severely the growth of seedlings, especially in tomatos. Therefore, it is suggested that the recycled rockwool be capable of utilization to raise seedlings of cucumber and tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.199-204
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• 2002

To overcome a decrease of Korean ginseng production caused by successive cropping, we have tried to develop a nutrient culture system for Korean ginseng production. For determining the optimal substrate, mixture of sand and TKS-2 (S＋T), peatmoss (P), reused rockwool (RR), and granular rockwool (GR) were investigated. The overall physico-chemical properties of RR fell into the reported optimal range for the ginseng cultivation. However, bulk density of S＋T was a little higher than that of soil in Korean ginseng fields. The top fresh weight of the ginseng was high in RR and S＋T substrates. The root fresh and dry weights in the RR were remarkably greater than that in the conventional soil (CS) of Korean ginseng fields. In terms of ginseng quality, the vitamin C content of ginseng root in nutrient culture was higher than that in CS. However, the contents of crude saponin and total ginsenosides in ginseng between in the nutrient culture and in the soil culture did not show any significant differences.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2003

Rockwool slabs used for hydroponic cultures are expected to have potential to be reused after breakdown as a growing medium component for hydroponic culture of vegetables and cut flowers, pot plants, or plug plants. This study was conducted to test the feasibility of using particles of used rockwool slabs (PURS) mixed with woodchips for growing plug seedlings of ‘Nokkufang’ pepper. In the first experiment growth of pepper seedlings was tested in media of steam sterilized PURS mixed with chestnut woodchips (CW), which was weatherized for six months and screened through 2.8 mm or 5.6 mm sieves, at 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 28:75 or 0:100 (%, v/v). In the second experiment growth of pepper seedlings was tested in 20 different media containing steam sterilized PURS mixed with 4 mm chestnut woodchips (CW), 4 mm pinc woodchips (PW), coir, peatmoss, or perlite. In the first experiment, there were no significant growth differences as affectcd by particle size of CW, while the overall best growth was achieved il1 the control and l00% PURS. In the second experiment, seedling growth was enhanced as compared to the control in 100% PURS or PURS mixed with peatmoss, coir, or perlite. In contrast, growth was suppressed as the proportion of peatmoss or coir mixed with PURS decreased and the proportion of CW increased. Growth was better in the PURS + peatmoss than in the 100% PURS or PURS + coir, and when woodchips were mixed with coir than peatmoss.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.88-88
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• 2023

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.497-503
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the horticultural media + decomposed granite + reused rock wool in the following mixing ratio: Control = 100:0, M1 = 80:0:20, M2 = 60:30:10, M3 = 40:30:30, M4 = 30:40:30, M5 = 0:50:50 (reused rockwool : decomposed granite : horticultural media) and develop the physicochemical properties and the growth of 'Sulhyang' strawberry runner plant. In the physical aspect of the horticultural media, statistical differences were recognized that the bulk density and particle density were lower in the control and M1. But the bulk density and particle density were high in the M3, M4, and M5, because it had high mixing ratio between recycled rock wool and decomposed granite. EAW and WBC showed a similar tendency. The air porosity and total porosity were higher in control and M1 than M3, M4, M5. Exchangeable cation (K⁺, Ca²⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺) and base replacement capacity (CEC) were higher in control and M1, than M2, M3, M4, and M5. As a result of the cultivation of 'Sulhyang' runner plant, the plant length was long in M2, 32.1 cm and smaller than M5 to 28.4 cm. However, if the crown diameter, which is the growth indicator of the runner plant, all 6 treatments were formed 11.23 mm-12.03 mm, which is considered to be suitable for the growth of the runner plant. There wasn't a statistical difference between the weight and dry weight of the root. As a result, the growth difference of the seedlings by the horticulture media was similar. Therefore, considering the physical properties of the horticultural media, it was judged that the air porosity and total porosity would be improved when the recycled rock wool and the decomposed granite were properly mixed rather than the use of the horticultural media as a single medium, which would be advantageous for irrigation management.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2011

This experiment was carried out to understand the characteristics of inorganic ion uptake of strawberries to establish a labor saving, environmentally sound closed hydroponic system. Nitrate nitrogen is absorbed in the perlite and granule rockwood with the almost same rate and in the cocopeat with a little bit higher concentration. At the early growth stage, phosphate was absorbed in comparatively high rate, but it is gradually declining to $4me{\cdot}L^{-1}$ in the three treatments except for reused medium. Four treatments showed different absorption rates for potassium, respectively, however, it became $3{\sim}5me{\cdot}L^{-1}$ gradually. But there was few sign to absorb potassium in the reused medium. High concentration of calcium was absorbed in the cocopeat medium and the lowest absorption rate in the granule rockwool, and it turned out to be $2{\sim}3me{\cdot}L^{-1}$ absorption concentration rate in the perlite. All three treatments showed $1me{\cdot}L^{-1}$ at the average absorption concentration rate of magnesium. Iron showed high absorption rate but it showed steadily 1~2 ppm absorption rate. Results of this experiment will be utilized for developing the new substrates for strawberry closed hydroponic system.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.423-428
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• 2013

Although closed soilless culture is useful for saving water and fertilizers with minimizing environmental pollution, adequate management of nutrient solutions is still not stabilized in greenhouse cultivation. In order to investigate the problems occurred in closed soilless culture of Paprika (Capsicum annuum L., cv. Fiesta), we compared ion balance, fruit yield, and the water and fertilizer use efficiencies in the closed system with those in the open system. The plants were grown in rockwool culture with a nutrient solution of EC $2.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. After 4 weeks of treatment, individual ratio of $NO{_3}^-$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ to total ion concentrations ($meq{\cdot}L^{-1}$) decreased from the initial value, especially the biggest decrement was observed in $K^+$, and on the other hand, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $Cl^-$, and $Na^+$ were accumulated in the closed system. Yields after four-time harvests were 19% higher in the open system than in the closed system. Total volume of water used per unit area ($m^2$) in the open system was 20% higher, but the total water use per fruit was not significantly different between the two systems, while t total fertilizer use per fruit was 78% higher in the closed system. Amount of marketable fruits was not significantly different between the two systems. We concluded that the increase in $K^+$ supply and the replenishment of recycled nutrient solution every four weeks were required for preventing the imbalance or depletion of nutrients in the close soilless culture of paprika plants to get more balanced nutrient composition during whole cultivation period.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2011

Electrical conductivity, drainage, and irrigation amount of nutrient solution are important factors for determination of the mixing ratio of fresh and reused nutrient solutions in closed-loop soilless culture. Generally a fixed mixing ratio is applied in commercial scale greenhouses using solar radiation-based irrigation system. Although it ensures continuous supply of fresh nutrient solution in the mixing process, occasional discharge of the drainage is inevitably required. This study was conducted to compare the nutrient replenishing effect under different mixing processes and to investigate appropriate mixing process. For this experiment, a fixed mixing ratio (FR), modifiable mixing ratio (MR), and open-loop (OP) as control were applied. Mixing ratio was determined by a set value of EC for dilution of collected drainage in FR and the set values of 1.0 and $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ were used as treatments (FR 1.0 and FR 2.0), respectively. In MR, mixing ratio was determined based on EC and volume of drainage within irrigation volume per event. The volume of drainage stored in the drainage tank tended to increase in FR 1.0. Although such trend was not observed in FR 2.0 and MR, the volume of drainage stored in MR was lower than that in FR 2.0. The ion balance of $Mg^{2+}:K^+:Ca^{2+}$ or $SO^{2-}_4:NO^-_3:PO^{3-}_4$ in the drainage and reused nutrient solution changed within a narrow range regardless of treatment.