• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2006

This research compared growth and flowering of potted $Viola{\times}wittrockiana$ 'Majestic GT Scarlet Shadow' in various mixtures of recycled perlite and cellular glass foam (CGF). The crop was cultured in a mat subirrigation system. Numbers of leaves, opened flowers, flower buds, and branches, fresh and dry weights of shoot, leaf area, and total chlorophyll concentration were the greatest in plants grown in the medium of used perlite + granular rockwool+ peatmoss (25:50:25, v/v/v). Plant height and length of the longest root were the highest and longest, respectively, in plants grown in the medium of CGF+peatmoss (25:75, v/v). The medium of CGF+peatmoss (25:75, v/v) was better than the medium of used perlite+peatmoss (25:75, v/v) in plant growth. The medium of CGF + granular rockwool (25:75, v/v) was poorer than the medium of recycled perlite + granular rockwool (25:75, v/v).

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2007

This study was carried out to develop the stable plug seedling production for hydroponics of spinaches by various nursery media, plug tray size and seed number per plug tray cell. When plant grown in various nursery media, the seeding stand rate was shown in order of granular rockwool with good water retention, granular rockwool>granular rockwool mixed with pearlite>cocopeat>pearlite>poly urethane foame. Thus, poly urethane foame indicated the lower seedling stand rate. There was no difference in growth of the seedlings md the seeding stand rate by the plug tray size, and no significant difference in the plant height and the number of leaves among the seed number per plug tray cell. But, leaf area of plant in 2 grains seeding per cell was $113.0cm^2$, was wider in compared with 5 grains seeding of which leaf area was $88.0cm^2$. Accordingly, the leaf area per plant decreased as more and more the number of seeds per plug tray cell increased. The fresh weight of a plant per plug tray cell was the heaviest with 12.5g in the 2 grains, and the total fresh weight of plants per cell was 33.9g in 4 grains seeding, thus it tended to was bigger compared with other treatments. Consequently, given that the number of seeds per cell was decreased, the fresh weight of a plant increased. On the other hand, the total fresh weight per cell showed a tendency to be reducing as more and more the number of seeds per plug tray cell decreased. The yield in the 4 grains seeding was increased by 46% as $14,910kg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ in compared with the yield in 2 grains seeding as $10,200kg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$.

• 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.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 1998

The root-zone environment is an important factor to the plant growth and it is closely related to the thermal characteristics of the root media. In this study thermal characteristics of root media with ambient environmental conditions were analyzed. The temperatures of nutrient solution as well as inside air of culture bed were measured in Nutrient Film Technique(NFT) and Deep Flow Technique(DFT) systems, and also the temperatures of root media measured in aggregate culture systems , The temperature of nutrient solution of NFT system with as low as 3$\ell$/min of flow rate was 3$^{\circ}C$ higher than that with 5 $\ell$/min of flow rate in the daytime, and the temperature of inside air was 2$^{\circ}C$ higher at night. And the temperature of nutrient solution of DFT system with as low as 0.8 cm of water level was 1-2$^{\circ}C$ higher than that with 1 8 cm in the daytime, and the temperature of inside air was almost same at night. The root-zone temperatures in the perlite and rockwool granulate systems with film mulching were 3$^{\circ}C$ higher than those without film mulching in the daytime. However, the rockwool slab system with film mulching showed the same trend as rockwool granulate system, but relatively higher temperature than any other medium because of the exposure of media surface to the ambient air. Additionally the temperature below the plant was measured 3$^{\circ}C$ lower than that between plants.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2000

Plug seedlings of Petunia hybrida 'Madness Rose' and Viola tricolor 'Magestic GT' were cultured in media containing various volume ratios of recycled plug medium, recycled coir, perlite, granular rockwool, and vermiculite for 36 and 43 days after sowing, respectively. Recycled plug medium and recycled coir were steam pasteurized for 30 minutes at $120^{\circ}C$ and 1.5 atmosphere. An unused commercial plug medium (Tosilee, pH 5.10, EC $0.12mS{\cdot}cm^{-1}$ at 1:5 dilution, v/v, Shinan Grow Co.) was used as the control. The pH of different media before and after growing seedlings was similar. Medium EC was high when recycled plug medium was included. Recycled coir (75%)＋vermiculite (25%) mixture also had high medium EC. However, medium EC was low when granular rockwool or perlite was included. Height, root formation, shoot dry weight and leaf count (ea) of petunia, and height, total fresh and dry weights, and shoot fresh and root dry weights of pansy were the highest in recycled coir (75%)＋perlite (25%) mixture. Recycled coir was better than recycled plug medium in physicochemical properties, and also in resultant plant growth. It is recommended to include perlite or granular rockwool when plug media including recycled horticultural media are prepared.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.263-268
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of nursery period and block size on seedling quality and fruit yield of paprika (Capsicum annuum L. 'Cupra'). Seeds of paprika (Capsicum annuum L., Cupra) were sown in rockwool plugs. Seedlings were transferred and grown to the rockwool block different sizes: $5{\times}5$, $7.5{\times}7.5$ and $10{\times}10cm$ at sowing after 15 days. The plants were transplanted by 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 days we planted the seeds to the rockwool slabs. Seedling growth was not influenced by block size in the 25 day old plant, since then growed poorly with increasing nursery period in the $5{\times}5cm$ block size, plant height, stem diameter, fresh weight, dry weight have no difference from $10{\times}10cm$ and $7.5{\times}7.5cm$, but leaves and leaf area were higher $10{\times}10cm$ than the $7.5{\times}7.5cm$ block size. Growth of the paprika in field 80 days after sawing did not differ from nursery period and block size below 35 days old, but decreased with increasing nursery period and decreasing block size beyond 40 days old. Flowering did not differ from nursery period and block size below 35 days, but delayed with increasing nursery period and decreasing block size beyond 40 days old. The highest yield was obtained from 30 and 35 days old, and decreased with increasing nursery period and decreasing block size beyond 40 days old.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2009

This study was carried to investigate effects of optimum supply strengths of 'Sonneveld' nutrient solution on growth characteristics in container seedling of trees (Pinus densiflora, Torreya nucifera, Quercus acutissina and Fraxinus mandshurica) using developed media with used-rockwool. Flesh weight, height and trunk diameter in container seedling of Torreya nucifera were better in high strengths. In container seed ling of Torreya nucifera, flesh weight more increased in 1.5 and 3.0 strengths and hight and trunk diameter more increased in 1.5 strength than the rest. Flesh weight in container seedling of Quercus acutissina was heaviest in 2.0 strength and was lightest in 1.0 strength. Height and dry weight in 2.0 and 3.0 strengths and trunk diameter and total chlorophyll in 2.0 strength were better than in the rest. Besides photosynthesis rate was more high in 1.5 and 2.0 strengths than in the rest. In container seedling of Fraxinus mandshurica, flesh weight, height and trunk diameter more increased in 0.5 strength and total chlorophyll and photosynthesis rate were good in 0.5 and 2.0 strengths. Most growth characteristics were poor in 3.0 strength.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 1990

This study was carried out to investigate the influence of different types of nutrient solutions and culture media on the growth and quality of cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) and tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The results are summarized as follows : 1. The growth and yield of cucumber and tomato were best in rockwool culture with Cooper solution. 2. In sand-sack culture, growth and yield of cucumber and tomato were higher with compound fertillzer solution. 3. Growth and yield of cucumber and tomato were more effective in rockwool culture than in soil culture in early growth stages, and vice versa in later growth stages. 4. Vitamin C contents of cucumber and tomato showed no differences between soil cultures and hydroponics, except rockwool culture with compound fertilizer solution. 5. The dry weight, total-N, and mineral content of cucumber and tomato showed no differences among all types of hydroponics.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.131-135
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• 1999

The objective of this research was to improve moisture retention capacity of pine bark. To achieve this, barks were ground with Wiley mill of hammer mill and were blended with recycled rockwool. Then, changes of soil physical properties were determined. The percentage of particles larger than 5.6 mm was 86.5% in raw materials. The percentage of particles larger than 1 mm decreased and those of particles smaller than 1 mm increased by grinding with Wiley mill or hammer mill. Grinding with Wiley mill showed better effect than those of hammer mill in decreasing particle size distribution. Grinding resulted in decreased total porosity (TP) and air space (AS) and increased container capacity (CC) and residual water content (RW), indication improved moisture retention capacity. The material ground with Wiley mill, than blended with 50% recycled rockwool had 81.1%, 67.7%, 13.5% and 235 ml in TP, CC, AS and RW, respectively. These results indicated that moisture retention capacity was improved by blending with recycled rockwood, but aeration of root media was much better than those of peat+vermiculite(1:1, v/v), which is commonly used in commercial production.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1300-1305
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• 2011

The study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of flower quality and yield of gerbera 'Sunny Lemon' by mutrient solution strength and media of nutrient solution. The plant growth of 'Sunny Lemon' showed the highest values in the media of rockwool and perlite 1: peatmoss 2. Especially the yield of cut flowers for a year was more than 60 flowers and the flower longevity was over 10 days irrespective of nutrient solution concentration in the two media. There were no significant differences of plant characteristics in the nutrient concentration of 1/2 and 1 times, and the mineral nutrient contents showed similar values. Therefore, we recommended the media of perlite1: peatmoss2 with the concentration of 1/2 times for economical use. The rockwool media was not appropriate because of the weak buffer capacity like EC and pH.