• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.99-107
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil covering depth and vegetation base materials on the competition between Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc. and Lespedeza cyrtobotrya Miq., which were grown in an abandoned coal mine land for three years after seeding, by comparing their growth and stem density. The study site was consisted of sub-plots with four different soil covering depths (0cm, 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm) and four different compounds of vegetation base materials (peat moss (control), soil conditioner+peat moss (S+P), erosion control material+peat moss (E+P), and soil conditioner+erosion control material+peat moss (S+E+P)). Results of this study showed opposite pattern between P. densiflora and L. cyrtobotrya with different soil covering depth and compounds of vegetation base materials in general. P. densiflora showed the highest growth and stem density in plots with 10cm and 0cm depths of soil covering, respectively, while the lowest was shown in plots with 20cm depth of soil covering. In contrast, L. cyrtobotrya showed the highest growth and stem density in plots with 20cm depth of soil covering, while the lowest was shown in plots with 0cm depth of soil covering. In case of vegetation base materials, P. densiflora showed the highest growth and stem density in control plots and plots treated with S+P, respectively, while the lowest was shown in plots with S+E+P treatment. On the other hand, L. cyrtobotrya showed the highest growth and stem density in plots treated with S+E+P, while the lowest was shown in control plots. These results suggested the competition between two plants as a major cause of opposite patterns, which is induced by the suppressed growth and stem density of P. densiflora by fast growing L. cyrtobotrya. Despite the suppression of L. cyrtobotrya on P. densiflora, L. cyrtobotrya can play a positive role in improving soil quality, and thus it would be more desirable for restoring abandoned coal mine land to manage the growth of L. cyrtobotrya periodically, rather than eliminate them.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.604-615
• /
• 2019

In this study, we produce a new type of the algae soil conditioner(ASC) using discarded algae biomass through a composting process and evaluate its nutritional characteristics. As the main ingredient, the ASCs used algae biomass collected through the coagulation-floating method and made by adding a variety of additional supporting materials (sawdust, pearlite, oilcake etc.). ASCs were divided into 0% in blank, 11.7% in ASC1, 21.6% in ASC2, 37.6% in ASC3, 59.5% in ASC4, and composted during 127 days. ASCs showed a sharp increase in temperature by aerobic microbial reaction, and 6~7 high and low temperature peaks were observed. As a result of physicochemical analysis, mineralization proceeded according to decomposing the organic matter and there was a marked increase not only in macronutrients (TN, P₂O₅, K₂O), but also in secondary macronutrients (CaO, MgO). The microbial community change was found in stage 1 (bacteria, filamentous fungi) → stage 2 (actinomycetes, bacteria) → stage 3 (Bacillus sp.), depending on the maturation process. It was estimated that microbial transition was closely related to temperature change and nutritional behavior. The quality of soil conditioner can be determined according to the maturity of compost process, and it was determined that effective microbial activity could be induced by controlling algae biomass below 59.5% in this study. In conclusion, we found out the possibility of manufacturing and utilizing soil conditioner recycled algae biomass and if further technological development is made on the basis it can be used as an effective soil conditioner.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 2015

Recently the roof gardening has become very popular and even on the apartment-veranda and on the roofs in high buildings many kinds of vegetables and berries are cultivated. And the demand of the nutritional supplement for the effective plant growth is also increasing. The general urban conditions are to be adapted for plant growth. A different hygroscopic and temperature-conditions after regions, sunshine and wind have strong influences on the plant growth and usually it is not optimal enough. It is because why a nutritional condition in soil for plant growth so important and essential. The usual compound-soil or -fertilizer cannot offer enough quantities of nutrients for plant growth and additional soil conditioner becomes more necessary. There are many kinds of soil conditioners like hydrogel in the market and we studied on Geohumus, Montigel and Geko, which are widely used in Europe and other countries. Water absorption and microbial immobilization with effective microorganisms were tested and compared. The EM solution was identified as bacteria, fungi and azotobacter etc. and they were immobilized at the soil conditioners at first. And the cultivated and immobilized at the soil conditioners EM-solution was added to the plant soil. 1 g of the soil conditioners absorbed ca. 20 g of water. The plant grew 10 cm more, got 3 times more branches and 2 times more fruits in the soil with soil conditioners immobilized with microorganisms. With water addition the plant with both conditions in the soil could stay fresh in comparison to without soil conditioners.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.12-17
• /
• 1984

In order to find out the effects of soil conditioner treatment on the water movement in sandy loam and silt loam soils were treated with two different kinds of soil conditioners, hydrophobic Bitumen 0.4% or hydrophillic Uresol 0.6%, and the changes of wetting angle (soil-water contact angle), penetrability and diffusivity were measured. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Uresol 0.6% treatment decreased the wetting angle of sandy loam more than $10^{\circ}$, but there was no big difference in silt loam. 2. Sandy loam soil was changed to almost hydrophobic and the wetting angle of silt loam soil was increased to $84.9^{\circ}$ as compared to $76.0^{\circ}$ of untreated soil by Bitumen 0.4% treatment. 3. By Uresol treatment, penetrability of sandy loam was doubled but there was not difference in silt loam, and it was decreased to half in two soils by Bitumen treatment. 4. A significant positive correlation between penetrability and the cosine of wetting angle was recognized. 5. Soil water diffusivity was greatly changed by soil conditioner treatment, and the big differences were appeared at lower soil moisture content.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 2018

This paper proposes the method to develop the fuel of suljigemi pellet using agricultural by-products the occurred during the manufacturing of alcohol. The goal of the development of suljigemi using biomass is to make the pellet fuel of high calorie. The suljigemi pellet is difficult to recycle waste in the manufacture company of alcohol. suljigemi pellet has the effect of zero emission as the soil conditioner using ash after burning. Also suljigemi pellet has the reduction effect of carriage fee, fuel economy and low-cost high-efficiency effects, environmentally clean fuel as CO2 emissions savings. So the technologies of the suljigemi fuel pellet are developing low carbon, green growth renewable energy fuel through futuristic energy system will be. In experiments, suljigemi pellets confirmed the calories by about 10% higher than wood pellets with the same conditions.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 1991

The sludge, a waste of brewery industries, was examined for potentials as a natural organic fertilizer (or soil conditioner) for lawn. Trial products were measured for changes of physical, chemical properties in laboratory and seed germination and seedling growth in green house were also tested. The results are as the following:1The sludge from distilled liquor brewery contained high quantity of organic matter which had proper physical and chemical properties for lawn fertilizer (natural organic fertilizer, soil conditioner, top-dressing mix) . It showed good characteristics in handling and capabilities to be developed as commercial products for golf courses. 2.Sludge from beer company needs proper treatment to improve physical properties for futher degradiation. It is because aggregation of the sludge particles prevented microbial activities and changing to soluble form. 3.Green carbon can be used as carbon source for organic fertilizer production using brewery sludge, but it should not contain wood extract which inhibit seed germination and seedling growth.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.625-636
• /
• 2020

Background and objects: Soil contamination caused by CaCl₂ that is used to deice slippery roads in winter is now recognized as one of the major causes of damage of roadside plants. The aim of this study is to identify the salt mitigation effects of planting Chrysanthemum zawadskii and using a soil conditioner. Methods: The study was conducted at the site where Pinus densiflora f. multicaulis was planted on the roadside between Konkuk University Sageori and Danwol Samgeori located in Chungju-si. We classified the soils collected from the field experimental site according to the degree of the damage caused by deicing agents and divided the site into six blocks of three 80 × 80 cm plots replicated by treatment type. Three selected plots were treated with loess-balls on the soil surface (high salinity with loess-balls, medium salinity with loess-balls, low salinity with loess-balls) and three were left as an untreated control (H = high salinity, M = medium salinity, L = low salinity). The soil properties were measured including pH, EC and exchangeable cations as well as the growth of Chrysanthemum zawadskiia. Results: In the results of soil analysis, pH before planting Chrysanthemum zawadskiia was 6.39-6.74 and in September, five months after planting, the acidity was reduced to 5.43-5.89. Electrical conductivity (EC) was measured to be H > M > L with the higher degree of damage by deicing agents. The analysis of deicing exchangeable cations showed that the content of Ca²⁺ of soils were significantly correlated to deicing exchangeable cations (Ca²⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺) in the shoot part of Chrysanthemum zawadskii. The loess-ball treatment showed a lower content of deicing exchangeable cations than the treatment where Chrysanthemum zawadskiia was planted. Conclusion: In this study, the use of a new system made of loess-balls is proposed as a soil conditioner to protect soils from the adverse effects of road deicing salts. These data suggest that treatment of soil conditioners and planting Chrysanthemum zawadskiia are effective in mitigation of salt stress on the soils damaged by deicing agents.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.19-30
• /
• 2002

This study was conducted to investigated the effects of rubber chips from used tires on sports turf ground as soil conditioner to improve soil physical properties. The release of heavy metal ions was detected to check the soil contamination by incorporation of recycled rubber chips with topsoil. The effects of the chips were also evaluated as topdressing material to improve surface resilience. The rate of rubber chips showed a positive relationship with soil temperature increasement. Incorporation of rubber chips increased soil temperature on surface at 2.5 cm-depth. The rates of rubber chip showed a negative relationship with ground cover rate of turfgrass in early growth season. However, after 20 weeks, treatment of 10% rubber chips at 2.5 cm-depth showed a prominent cover rate of 70% which was not significantly different with untreated control. Incorporation of rubber chips within topsoil seemed to reduce soil compaction, but the effects was not prominent on physical properties. Rubber chips did not affect chemical properties and heavy metal contamination to soil environment. Rubber chips improved resilience of the compacted ground surface as topdressing material, this effect was prominent when aerification practise was preceded.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 1989

A data acquisition system was designed to measure the forces on a rolling coulter in three coordinated directions, angular velocity of the coulter and travel speed of a soil bin. The data acquisition system consisted of a dynamometer, speed transducers, a signal conditioner, an inter-face board, an Aim-65 microcomputer and a digital data recorder. Strain gages were attached on the surface of the dynamometer and connected to form three Wheatstone bridges, which measure the draft force, the vertical force and the side force on the coulter. An interaction among three dimensional forces was found during the calibration. A matrix procedure was used to correct the forces for this interaction. Rotary shaft encoders were mounted on the coulter and on the soil bin drive to measure the angular velocity of the coulter and the travel speed of the soil bin. The angular velocity and the travel speed were computed by counting the number of pulse signals from the rotary shaft encoders every 0.2 second. The digital signals from the rotary shaft encoders were connected to counters and the analog signals from the dynamometer, after passing through the signal conditioner, were connected to the A/D converter. The microcomputer programs, written in assembly language, were developed to read signals from the transducers, convert them to actual unit, display them upon request and record them on a sigital tape every 0.2 second.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.164-169
• /
• 2011

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) of Pleurotus pulmonarius (an edible fungus) was used as soil conditioner for the improvement of growth of four common Nigerian vegetables (Abelmoschus esculentus, Lycopersicum esculentum, Capsicum annum and Capsicum chinense). The results of these investigations showed that the vegetables responded well to the SMC treatment. Each of them attained its best growth and gave the highest number of flowers and fruits when planted on 6 kg of depleted garden soil supplemented with 600 g of SMC. The control experiment that has the seedlings of the vegetables planted on 6 kg of depleted garden soil only, without the application of SMC, showed stunted and poor growth, with few or no flower and fruit production. A. esculentus was the best utilizer of iron utilizing 118.0 mg/kg in the SMC used. Similarly; this vegetable utilized 1.48 mg/kg of nitrogen in the SMC. The highest height in each vegetable was attained with 6 kg of depleted garden soil supplemented with 600 g of SMC. At 9 wk, A. esculentus has the mean height of 85.0 cm while these values significantly increased to 100.00 cm at 14 wk ($p{\leq}0.05$). At 9 wk, L. esculentum has the highest mean height of 65.00 cm which increased to 71.00 cm after 14 wk. It was also observed that A. esculentus has the highest mean number of fruits (9.00), followed in order by C. chinense (8.00) and L. esculentum (7.00) ($p{\leq}0.05$) while, C. annum produced the least mean number of fruits (5.00). No fruits production was seen in the control experiments. The results of these findings were discussed in relation to the usage of SMC as possible organic fertilizer for the improvement of growth of vegetables in Nigeria.