• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.414-423
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• 2016

Growers in plug seedling production think that root media in which rockwool is a component has given rise to several environmental problems. Therefore, the demand for new materials as a substitute for rockwool has been increased. This study examined the possibility of cultivation of tomato plug seedlings using a newly developed growing medium with phenolic foam. Plug seeds of tomato cultivar 'Madison' were sown in four pellet-type growing media: Grodan rockwool (GRW), UR rockwool (URW), phenolic foam LC (LC) or phenolic foam LC-lite (LC-lite). Then, the seedlings were transplanted to the four cube-type growing media 19 days after sowing. Seeds were germinated in a growth chamber ($25{\pm}2^{\circ}C$, 80% relative humidity, and dark) for 4 days and then the seedlings were grown with a nutrient solution supplied by an overhead irrigation system in a greenhouse. Plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, and fresh or dry weight of tomato seedlings were the greatest for the seedlings transplanted to URW cube media after being grown on LC-lite pellets. Root grade was the greatest for the seedlings transplanted on LC or LC-lite cube media after being grown on LC pellets. Chemical properties of all media tested for tomato growth were maintained within a stable range, while physical properties of URW showed high values in container capacity, air space, and total porosity. These results demonstrated that the phenolic foam media were effective for seedling growth and can substitute for rockwool as a root medium.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2005

This study was carried out to develop a novel hydroponic medium far fruit vegetable crops by using waste synthetic fibers. In physical analysis of the synthetic fiber medium (SFM), the bulk density and percent solid phase were lower, while the porosity and water content were greater in comparison with the rockwool slab. The SFM had pH of 6.5 and EC of $0.03dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ both of which are similar to those of the rockwool slab. The CEC of 0.39me/100mL of the SFM was lower than compared with 3.29me/100mL of the rockwool slab. However, concentrations K, Ca, Mg and Na were slightly higher in the SFM than those in the rockwool slab. The 'Momotaro' tomato crop in the SFM gave comparable plant height, stem diameter, days to first flowering, fruit weight and percent marketable yield as the rockwool slab. In the SFM and in the rockwool slab, mean fiuit weight were 182g and 181g, percent marketable yield were $93.8\%$ and $92.0\%$, respectively. The marketable yield per 10a in the SFM was 12,799 kg, which was $97\%$ of that in the rockwool slab. Growth parameters such as leaf length and width, leaf number, stem diameter and chlorophyll content of an exportable cucumber crop grown in the SFM and the rockwool slab were not different. Fruit weight was greater in the rockwool slab, while percent marketable yield was greater in the SFM. The marketable fruit yield per 10a of 5,062kg in the SFM was $2\%$ greater than that in the rockwool slab. $NO_3$ concentration in nutrient solution during the crop cultivation was higher in the SFM than in the rockwool slab, while concentrations $NH_4$, K, Ca, Mg and $SO_4$ were not different between the two media.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2012

The study was conducted in a glasshouse to examine the possibility of producing paprika plug seedlings in a newly developed inert phenolic foam growing medium. Plug seedlings of 'Fascinato' paprika were grown in five media, Grodan rockwool (Grodan Co. Ltd., Denmark), UR rockwool (UR Co. Ltd., Korea), phenolic foam LC (Smithers Oasis Korea Co. Ltd., Korea), phenolic foam RC, and phenolic foam 3813-4 all in a pellet type. Seeds were germinated in a growth chamber ($25^{\circ}C$, 90% RH, dark) for 4-5 days and then seedlings were grown in a glasshouse with nutrient solution supplied by an overhead irrigation system. Seedling growths were measured 20 days after sowing. The medium pH was the highest in the Grodan rockwool, and medium EC was the highest in phenolic foam 3813-4, although no nutritional excess disorders were observed. Germination rates of paprika were higher than 90% in all the media. Plant height, stem diameter, T/R ratio, leaf area, and chlorophyll showed a similar to those in the rockwool medium. Number of leaves, length of the longest root and dry weights of shoot were not significantly different among treatments. Overall, phenolic foam LC and RC produced seedlings with a similar growth as the rockwool medium. The results obtained suggest that rockwool can be replaced with a new material such as phenolic foam in the commercial scale production of plug seedlings of 'Fascinato' paprika.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.142-145
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• 2007

Growth characteristics according to mixture ratio of used-rockwool in pot nursery, in Pinus densiflora, Torreya nucifera, Quercus acutissina and Fraxinus mandshurica nursery, was investigated. The used-rockwool on mixture ratio between used-rockwool and control (peatmoss: pearlite=1:1, v/v) were 0%, 30%, 50% and 70%. Flesh weight, dry weight and height of tree, in Pinus densiflora nursery, increased much more in 50% and 70% media but trunk diameter of tree had no difference according to mixture ratio. In Torreya nucifera nursery, flesh weight and height of tree in 70% medium and trunk diameter and numbers of shoot of tree in 50% and 70% media increased. Flesh weight, height and trunk diameter of tree, and chlorophyll (SPAD) and photosynthesis rate, in Quercus acutissina nursery, increased much more in 50% and 70% media, but dry weight of tree had only difference between non-mixed and mixed with rockwool. In Fraxinus mandshurica nursery, flesh weight and photosynthesis rate of tree increased much more in 70% medium, height, trunk diameter and total chlorophyll of tree had difference according to non-mixed and mixed with rockwool or had no only difference according to mixture ratio, respectively.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine the possibility of producing poinsettia with various growing media containing used perlite and rockwool slabs as medium components. Pot plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima 'Freedom Red' were grown in 10 media containing used perlite and particles of rockwool slabs at various ratios including 1:1 and 1:3 (v/v). Medium containing used perlite and peatmoss at 1:3 (v/v) was employed as the control treatment. Height, root length, length of the longest branch, number of roots, leaf area, and width and length of the largest bract of plants grown in media containing used perlite were significantly greater than those in the control. Stem diameter and bract count were not affected by the medium composition. From the results, used perlite and rockwool slabs were proved to be a practically useful materials as medium components for pot production of poinsettia plants.

• 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.2 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 1993

The purpose of this research was to develop ideal substrates for the production of good quality tomatoes in bag culture system and also to improve media with low or no environmental pollution by blending and mixing artificial substrate including peatmoss, perlite, vermiculite, granular rockwool, polyphenol resin foam, bark, and smoked rice hull. The highly efficient media proved by experiments were vermiculite, smoked rice hull, polyphenol resin foam, granular rockwool, and perlite, which showed good results in the early growth as well as the marketable yield of tomato in the bag culture. Tomato plants grown in the media mixed with peatmoss, vermiculite and granular rockwool at the ratio of 3 : 1 : 1(by volume) showed the highest marketable yield, and the next at the ratio of 2 : 1 : 1. The perlite-granular rockwool mixtures at the ratio of 2 : 3 and 1 : 4, and the peatmoss vermiculite mixtures at the ratio of 2 : 3 and 3 : 2, seemed to be promising media for bag culture.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of irrigation methods for reducing a drainage on the growth and yield in rockwool (Grodan co.) and cocopeat (chip : dust = 50 : 50 included fiber) culture. The nutrient solution was irrigated by $100J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$-100 mL, $50J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$-45 mL, $50J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$-40 mL, $50J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$-35 mL ($100{\sim}50J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$-100~35 mL, Nutrient solution 100~35 mL was irrigated per plant when the accumulated radiation was $100{\sim}50J{\cdot}cm^{-2}$). The drain rates per plant of 100-100, 50-45, 50-40, 50-35 were 26.3%, 8.8%, 6% 4.4% and 23.1%, 7.5%, 5% 3.4% in rockwool and cocopeat slabs. The water contents and EC of 100-100 and 50-45 were managed by the 55~70%, $3.0{\sim}5.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ which were good condition for paprika culture in rockwool and cocopeat slabs, while those of 50-40 and 50-35 were managed by beyond 50%, $4.5{\sim}9.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The plant height, number of branches and leaf size of 100-100 and 50-45 were similarly increased while those of 50-40 and 50-35 were decreased. The fruit size and weight of 50-40 and 50-35 were small and light, while those of 100-100 and 50-45 were similarly big and heavy. The marketable fruits of 100-100 and 50-45 treatments were similarly more by 9.7~9.8 in rockwool and 8.8~8.9 in cocopeat, while the unmarketable fruits, the small and blossom end rot fruits were increased in 50-40 and 50-35 treatments. The yield of 100-100 and 50-45 treatments were similarly high.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of cultivation period and rockwool block size on the growth and early yield of paprika transplants grown in a closed transplant production system. Paprika seeds were sown and germinated in three different size of rockwool blocks ($45{\times}40{\times}35$, $70{\times}70{\times}60$, $100{\times}100{\times}65mm$) and cultivated in a closed transplant production system for 23, 30, and 37 days after sowing. Paprika transplants were cultivated using $100{\times}100{\times}65mm$ rockwool blocks in a greenhouse following a conventional and typical production method for comparing with the growth of paprika transplants grown in a closed transplant production system. Also, we transplanted paprika transplants grown for 23, 30, and 37 days in a closed transplant production system and greenhouse to rockwool slabs and investigated fresh weight of fruits and yield 125 days after sowing. The growth of paprika transplants grown in $70{\times}70{\times}60mm$ rockwool blocks in a closed transplant production system was highest, and the quality of paprika transplant grown in a closed transplant production system was better than in a greenhouse. Rockwool block size and cultivation period in a closed transplant production system did not affect fresh weight of fruits, however, yield was largest when paprika transplants were cultivated using $70{\times}70{\times}60$ and $100{\times}100{\times}65mm$ rockwool blocks for 23 days in a closed transplant production system. These results suggest that decreasing rockwool block size and cultivation period can be strategically used to enhance transplant quality and yield of paprika, as paprika transplants were cultivated in a closed transplant production system.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 1997

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of limited nutrient supply during 21 days before and after pollination stage on the growth, fruit quality and nutrient uptake of muskmelon in rockwool culture. Muskmelon, cv. Earl's Favorite seeds sowed on rockwool cube and transplanted on rockwool slab($90\times15\times7.5cm$) when 2 to 3 true leaf appeared on Sep. 6, 1991. Three kinds of nutrient composition recommended by Shizuoka university, combinated with the composition of Otsuka house A and composition Shizuoka III. One half of calcium nitrate(Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$.4$H_2O$) for limiting nitrogen supply during 21 days was treated and then fertigated the nutrient composition recommended by Shizuoka university up to harvest time. Trickling nozzles(Netafim Co. Israel) were used for fertigation of nutrient solution and noncirculating system was employed. Temperature was maintained $18^{\circ}C$ in night but 23 to $25^{\circ}C$ for 10 days after pollination for softening the fruit. The drainage ratio of nutrient solution was adjusted 20 to 30 percent. Fertigated and drained amount, and the pH and EC of nutrient solution were recorded. The concentrations of mineral elements including N, P, K, Ca, and Mg were analyzed and compared among treatments. In both autumn and winter cultivation, the limitation of nutrient supply by adjustment of nutrient composition(NO$_3$-N : 8meㆍ$\ell^{-1}$) caused the nutrient deficiency in muskmelon plant due to the limited nutrient supply. After pollination nutrient limitation by the lowering the nitrate retarded the over thickening of upper leaves of muskmelon but plant height and fresh weight of fruit were higher in the plot of nonlimited nutrient supply. The phenomena were attributed to the differences of the amount of nutrient uptake due to the limited time of nutrient solution, duration of nutrient supply and concentration of nutrient solution. These results suggested that increasing nutrient supply in the pollination stage was favorable for better appearance of fruit and improving fruit quality. Further trials would be required for the incre-ment of sugar degree of muskmelon grown in rockwool.