• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.586-595
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• 2012

This study was conducted to determine the effects of horticultural therapy (HT) program using hydroponics on work adjustment skills of students with mental retardation. Based on the critical role transitional model and special education curriculum for agriculture, especially hydroponics, HT program (total 22 sessions) using hydroponics procedure for Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. 'Asia Heuk Romaine') was developed. Fourteen (10 males, 4 females) graded $1^{st}$ to $2^{nd}$ with intellectual disabilities were recruited from a special education class in a high school located in Inchon, Korea and then a special farm for hydroponics in Inchon, Korea was offered for the HT program. The students with intellectual disabilities participated in the HT program for 4-month (from September to December of 2011, twice a week, approximately 60 minutes per session). Before and after the HT program, the McCarron assessment neuromuscular development, emotional behavioral checklist, interpersonal negotiation strategies, and KEPAD picture vocational interest test were performed by the teachers and horticultural therapists. As the results, the students significantly improved motor performance (p = 0.002), emotional behavioral strategies (p = 0.00), and interpersonal negotiation strategies (p = 0.05). However, no significant difference between before and after the HT program for vocational interest was observed. In conclusion, the HT program using hydroponics, consists of simple and easy tasks so that it would be applicable for the students with intellectual disabilities positively affected to work adjustment skills by improving the motor performance, emotional behavioral strategies, and interpersonal negotiation strategies. Additionally, HT programs using hydroponics with various kinds of vegetables are required to develop and to apply in practical settings for improving work adjustment skills.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.628-635
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• 2014

The large amount of $CO_2$ emitted from mushrooms during incubation and developmental stages can be utilized in plant production systems as a $CO_2$ source. The objectives of this study were to measure the $CO_2$ emission and absorption rates of mushroom and lettuce, respectively, and to analyze the $CO_2$ concentrations at various ratios of mushroom and lettuce in a closed production system. The $CO_2$ emission rate of king oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii ( DC.) Qu$\acute{e}$l) and $CO_2$ absorption rate of lettuces (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Asia Heuk Romaine) were measured by using two closed acryl chambers ($1.0m{\times}0.8m{\times}0.5m$) in which indoor temperatures were maintained at $18^{\circ}C$ and $22^{\circ}C$, respectively. The lettuce was grown at a light intensity of PPF $340mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ and with nutrient solution at EC $1.2dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The air was periodically circulated between the two chambers using a diaphragm pump. The $CO_2$ emission rate of the mushroom increased until the $15^{th}$ day after scratching (DAS) and then decreased. The rate also increased with increased indoor temperature. In particular, the $CO_2$ emission rate per fresh weight of fruit body increased by about 3.1 times after thinning compared to before thinning. In terms of $CO_2$ balance, the $CO_2$ emission rates from a bottle (950 mL) of the mushroom at 9, 12, and 14 DAS were equivalent to those of 3, 4.5, and 5.5 lettuce plants at 7, 10, and 12 DAT (days after transplanting), respectively. This work shows that balance in $CO_2$ concentration could be achieved using an appropriate ratio of the two crops in a closed production system.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-487
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to provide safety management information by analyzing the survival and growth-related properties of foodborne pathogens from Romaine lettuce. After cultivating E. coli O157:H7 for 72 h on Romain lettuce via spray inoculation, the bacteria population increased by 2.0 log CFU/g from the initial population, confirming the possibility of survival and multiplication of the pathogen thereon. The study also revealed that there is no significant difference in the cultivation of E.coli O157:H7 after 72 h from inoculation on damaged and undamaged lettuce leaves. As a result of investigating distribution of E.coli O157:H7 on damaged lettuce leaves, it was found that the bacteria is unlikely to adhere on the smooth surface of undamaged leaves and, thus, results in a low population density, whereas the bacteria cluster on the rough surface of damaged leaves and easily enter through the damaged tissues. Furthermore, after 24 h of cultivation of the pathogenic microbe in the extract with concentrations of 10-100%, utilization of the lettuce extract by the pathogen was found to be 8.9 log CFU/mL E. coli O157:H7, 8.6 log CFU/mL L. monocytogenes, and 8.8 log CFU/mL P. carotovorum. The increase in the population of both the pathogenic microbe and foodborne pathogen reached over 4 log CFU/mL, implying the microbe can utilize the lettuce extract as a source of nutrition. Compared to the initial inoculation concentration in 0.1% lettuce extract, the final concentration has increased up to 2.7 log CFU/mL E. coli O157:H7, 1.3 log CFU/mL L. monocytogenes, and 2.9 log CFU/mL P. carotovorum. Accordingly, the study confirms that the minimal growth concentration of the pathogenic microbe is lower than 0.1% and that the pathogen possibly survive and multiply inside the lettuce leaves given the lettuce extract with concentration of 0.1% is consistently supplied through the damaged tissues.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2018

The photosynthetic rate is an indicator of the growth state and growth rate of crops and is an important factor in constructing efficient production systems. The objective of this study was to develop a canopy photosynthetic rate model of romaine lettuce using the three variables of $CO_2$ concentration, light intensity, and growth stage. The canopy photosynthetic rates of the lettuce were measured at five different $CO_2$ concentrations ($600-2,200{\mu}mol{\cdot}mol^{-1}$), five light intensities ($60-340{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$), and four growth stages (5-20 days after transplanting) in three closed acrylic chambers ($1.0{\times}0.8{\times}0.5m$). A simple multiplication model expressed by multiplying three single-variable models and the modified rectangular hyperbola model including photochemical efficiency, carboxylation conductance, and dark respiration, which vary with growth stage, were also considered. In validation, the $R^2$ value was 0.923 in the simple multiplication model, while it was 0.941 in the modified rectangular hyperbola model. The modified rectangular hyperbola model appeared to be more appropriate than the simple multiplication model in expressing canopy photosynthetic rates. The model developed in this study will contribute to the determination of an optimal $CO_2$ concentration and light intensity with the growth stage of lettuce in plant factories.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.208-213
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• 2020

Burkholderia contaminans PSB-A and Burkholderia ambifaria PSB-B were isolated from button mushroom bed to estimate their phosphate solubility. The phosphate-solubilizing abilities of these strains were assessed by measuring the phosphorus content in a single and co-inoculation medium for 7 days. The co-inoculation of these two strains released the highest content of soluble phosphorus (166.3 ㎍ mL^-1) into the medium, followed by single inoculation of B. contaminans PSB-A (143.73 ㎍ mL^-1) and B. ambifaria PSB-B (127.1 ㎍ mL^-1). The highest pH reduction, organic acid production, and glucose consumption were also observed in the co-inoculation medium. According to the plant growth promotion bioassay, co-inoculation enhanced the growth of romaine lettuce much more than the single inoculation (20.4% for leaf widths and 16.6% for root lengths). Although no significant difference was noted between single and co-inoculation of bacterial strains in terms of phosphorous release and plant growth, co-inoculation of PSB may have a beneficial effect on crop growth due to a synergistic effect between the strains.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.314-321
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• 2007

This study was conducted to select leaf vegetables suitable for cultivation in apartment verandas and simple and easy fertigation method for home gardening. In order to develop the convenient fertigation method, hydroponics, wick irrigation, and overhead irrigation methods were compared. For the wick irrigation, two types of nutrient sources were used; one was slow release fertilizers mixed with medium and the other one was nutrient solution filled in container located under pots. The growth of leafy lettuce, leaf mustard, and leaf beet was better in both of the wick irrigation methods rather than in overhead irrigation and hydroponics. The wick irrigation method is very easy, so that it is expected to bring a good result from the cultivating and managing point of view, if it brings with commercialized system along with slow release fertilizer. As a result of investigation of environment such as temperature, relative humidity, and irradiance level in apartment verandas in autumn the highest irradiance level during a day was just 48% and 35% in verandas facing south and feeing southeast, respectively, comparing to that in greenhouse. The light environment was investigated as a limiting factor for vegetable growing in verandas. Therefore, to select the vegetables showing good growth under low irradiance environment, nine leaf vegetables such as romaine lettuce, lent lettuce, head lettuce, endive, pak-choi, leaf mustard, garland chrysanthemum, leaf beet, and Chinese chive were grown under 0%, 50%, 70%, 90% shading. Among them, Chinese chive showed the best growth under low irradiance levels. Endive showed line growth reduction according to shading degree, however, even under 90% shading condition, it showed good growth. And then leafy lettuce, garland chrysanthemum, and pak-choi followed. Therefore, these results will be of help in selecting vegetables for veranda gardening with different light levels.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2018

This study investigated the synergistic effect of single inoculation and co-inoculation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) Pantoea rodasil LH-1and Burkholderia stabilis HS-7. Phosphate-solubilizing abilities of these strains were assessed by measuring phosphorus content in culture media that were singly inoculated or co-inoculated with these strains for 7 days. The co-inoculation of P. rodasil LH-1and B. stabilis HS-7 was found to release the highest content of soluble phosphorus ($783.41{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) into the medium, followed by single inoculation of B. stabilis HS-7B ($743.90{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) and P. rodasil LH-1 ($736.59{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$). The highest pH reduction, organic acid production, and glucose consumption were also observed in the medium inoculated with both the strains, compared with that in the medium inoculated with the strain alone. Results of a plant growth promotion bioassay showed 7.7% and 15.5% higher leaf and root growth, respectively, in romaine lettuce co-inoculated with P. rodasil LH-1and B. stabilis HS-7 than those inoculated with the strain alone. However, no significant difference was observed between single inoculation and co-inoculation of these strains with respect to phosphorus release and plant growth. Although the results of the present study did remarkdly not show the synergistic effect of phosphate solubilization by co-inoculation of the PSB strains examined, these results indicate that treatment with PSB exerts a beneficial effect on crop growth.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2019

The present study was conducted to investigate the synergistic effects caused by single and co-inoculation of the phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Paraburkholderia phenazinium YH3 and Paraburkholderia metrosideri YH4. Phosphate solubilization was assessed by measuring the phosphorus contents for 7 days in a single and co-inoculation medium. Co-inoculation of the two strains was found to release the highest content of soluble phosphorus ($1,250{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) into the medium, followed by the single inoculation of P. metrosideri YH4 ($1196.59{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) and P. phenazinium YH3 ($994.34{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$). The highest pH reduction, organic acid production and glucose consumption was also observed in the co-inoculation medium of the two strains. A plant growth promotion bioassay revealed that co-inoculation with the two strains enhanced the growth of romaine lettuce more than single inoculation with either of the two strains (28.5% for leaf and 16.6% for root). Although there was no significant difference between single and co-inoculation of bacterial strains in terms of phosphorous release and plant growth, the synergistic effects of co-inoculation with PSB could be beneficial for crop growth.