• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.125-140
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• 1997

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of compost mixed with microorganism compost fermented for the production of high quality plug seedlings of tomato and red pepper. The results are summarized as follows. As a result of compost analysis, EC value was increased with increment of microorganism compost supplemented but lowered gradually in the late period of seedlings growth, pH value of microorganism compost fermented was 9.3 which is strong alkalinity. In the plot of 30 percent of microorganism compost fermented early growth of tomato seedlings was better in terms of plant height, leaf area and total dry weight. However, early growth of red pepper seedlings was shown in the plot of supplemented with 20 percent of microorganism compost fermented. The higher the mixing rate over 60 percent of micrroganism compost fermented to the soil used retarded the seedlings growth regardless of tomato and red pepper.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2004

This study was conducted in a commercial plug glasshouse in Sacheon to examine the possibility of producing tomato plug seedlings using various growing media containing cellular glass foam (CGF)and carbonized chestnut woodchips (CCW) as medium components. Plug seedlings of 'Seogun' tomato were grown in media containing 50% CCW＋50% peatmoss, 33% CGF＋67% peatmoss, and 50% peatmoss＋50% granular rockwool. A commercial plug medium (Tosilee) was used as the control. All seeds were sown in 200 cell plug trays on November 28, 2001. Seedling growth was measured at 31 days after sowing. Each treatment showed a similar growth result as compared to the control. Plant height, root grade, fresh weight, and air space and bulk density of the medium were significantly greater in the 33% CGF＋67% peatmoss treatment than those in the other media. However, growth was slightly suppressed in the 50% CCW＋50% peatmoss. pH and EC of the media were the highest in the control treatment, although no toxicity symptoms had been observed. The results suggest that perlite can be replaced with a new material such as CGF in the commercial scale production of plug seedlings of 'Seogun' tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2018

This study was conducted to compare the physicochemical properties of newly developed artificial medium and conventional plug medium and to investigate the proper irrigation interval to produce the high quality tomato seedlings. The five existing artificial media (organic medium coir, mixed medium Tosilee and Q plug, and inorganic medium LC and rockwool) and four newly developed artificial medium (mixed medium TP-S1 and inorganic medium PU 14-S1, PU-7B, and PU 15-S1) were used to grow tomato 'Yegwang' with irrigation interval of one-day (14 times), two-day (7 times), and three-day (5 times) for 14 days. The pH was the significantly highest in the PU 15-S1. All growing medium measured were in the range of pH 5.17-6.90. EC was the highest in the Q plug. The initial germination rate was the highest in the PU 15-S1. The final germination rate and mean daily germination were not significantly different in all growing medium except for the PU 14-S1. Growth of tomato seedlings at 15 days after sowing was the greatest in the Q plug. At 29 days after sowing, seedlings were also the greatest in the Q plug, followed by rockwool and PU-7B. Also, growth was better in the one-day interval treatment. As a result, we confirmed the applicability of the artificial medium to tomato plug seedlings in this experiment, and seedlings were the greatest in the Q plug. Therefor, it is considered that adding nutrients to the artificial medium of the newly developed medium PU-7B, and applying the irrigation one-day interval can produces high quality tomato seedlings similar to using Q plug.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 2006

The investigation of the effect of the deep sea water in different concentration (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) on the inhibition of growth, fresh weight, dry weight of the tomato, hot pepper, cucumber plug seedlings were conducted. As the concentration of the deep sea water was higher, the greater inhibition was noticed. The height were decreased at the rate of 8%, 25%, 32% in tomato, 9%, 26%, 27% in hot pepper, and 21%, 50%, 58% in cucumber plug seedlings as compare to local check. The fresh weights were decreased highly, as the concentration of the deep sea water increased. Tomato seedlings showed the decrease rate of 12%, 23%, 33% at above the ground part of plants, and 2%, 30%, 52% at under the ground parts. Likewise, Hot pepper seedlings showed the decrease rate of 1.1%, 5.7%, 15.4% at above the ground part of plants, and 22.1%, 25%, 47.1%, respectively at under the ground parts. The fresh weight of cucumber was decreased at the rate of 8.1%, 36%, 51% in the above the ground, and 6.2%, 11%, 65% at the under the ground parts. In tomato, hot pepper, and cucumber seedlings, the dry weight was decreased as the concentration of deep sea water was increased. Thirty percent of deep sea water treatment reduced the dry weight of the seedlings as half of the control seedlings. One of the important factors of the seedling quality is compactness. Compactness was highest at 20% deep sea water in all the three crop seedlings.

• 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.27 no.4
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• pp.381-390
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• 2018

This study was conducted to examine the growth characteristics of seedlings of several major fruit vegetables and compare them between plants grown with the conventional plug seedling system (Plug) and those grown with the cylindrical paper pot system (CPP). There were no significant differences in shoot growth characteristics, such as plant height, leaf area, dry weight, and fresh weight, between tomato, cucumber, and watermelon plants grown with the CPP and Plug systems. The total root lengths of tomato and cucumber plants grown with Plug were longer than those grown with CPP at the beginning of seedling growth, and the total root lengths of watermelon grown with Plug were longer than those grown with CPP throughout the whole seedling period. The length of root that separated five steps according to the diameter of the root of tomato did not differ between CPP and Plug, but those of cucumber and watermelon were 20-251% longer with Plug than with CPP for all kinds of roots. The fresh weight of Plug-grown tomato roots was about 30% heavier than that of CPP-grown tomato during the seedling period, but the difference decreased as growth progressed. Finally, there was no difference between plants before and after transplanting. The fresh weights of the Plug-grown plants were about 20-30% heavier than those of CPP-grown ones in terms of the whole seedling. After transplanting to the Wagner pot, the shoot growth of Plug-grown watermelon plants in terms of dry weight was low until 7 days had passed. However, this tendency was reversed from 8 days after transplantation onward. In conclusion, there were no significance differences in the growth of shoots between plants grown with the CPP and Plug systems. However, root development was better with Plug than with CPP.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2021

Acclimatization after grafting and graft-take that in order to produce plug seedlings of high-quality are important plug seedling stage which not reduce the plug seedlings quality before shipment. Appropriate acclimatization environment can not only increase seedling quality before secondary growth period, but also effective in promoting the growth of plug seedlings. This study was conducted to determine the optimal the shading period and shading level for acclimatization of tomato and pepper grafted plug seedlings after graft-take. The tomato and pepper seedlings were used in this experiment, and after graft-take, a tunnel was installed on a bed in glasshouse of venlo type to started shading treatment. The shading levels were 35, 55, 75 and 95%, and the shading periods were 1 and 2 weeks, and non-treatment was set as the control. In the case of tomato grafted plug seedling, plant height, stem diameter, dry weight of root, leaf area were significantly higher at the shading period of 1 week and the shading level was 55%. In the case of pepper grafted plug seedling, plant height, stem diameter, and leaf area were the highest in the shading period of 2 weeks and the shading level was 35%. However, dry weight of root, compactness, and T/R ratio, which seedling quality indicators, were lower than in the shading period of 1 week and the shading level 55%. Therefore, considering the quality of seedlings, it is suggested that shading period of 1 week with shading level of 55% treatment can be suitable to produce high quality grafted plug seedlings of tomato and pepper.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.173-179
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• 2003

This study was established to control the overgrowth of cucumber and tomato plug seedlings by controlling of irradiation timings light intensities of red (R) light. Compared with the control, end-of-day (EOD) timing of R irradiation significantly reduced the seeding heights by 21.3% and 14.2% in cucumber and tomato, respectively. In addition, both plant seedlings treated with R light at EOD timing had the thickest stem diameter. Tomato seedlings treated with R light at EOD showed th highest chlorophyll content and the smallest leaf size. Dry weights of above ground plant tissue in both plant seedlings were significantly reduced by EOD R light treatment. And both plant seedlings treated with EOD treatment had the lowest T/R ratio, and the highest compactness rates. The increased intensities of R light resulted in the shorter plant heights in cucumber and tomato plant seedlings. It also reduced the length of hypocotyls and internodes and the size of leaves in the both seedlings. Elevated R light intensities tended to increase the stem diameter and chlorophyll contents. Dry weights of above ground plant tissue and roots in both plant seedlings were reduced by the elevated R irradiation. Cucumber seedlings treated with 2 and 8 $mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ and tomato seedlings treated with 8 ${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ had significantly lower T/R ratio the other treatments tested.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.285-293
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• 2018

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of height suppression of cucumber and tomato plug seedlings as affected by mechanical stimulus using brushing as environment-friendly method. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. 'Joeunbaekdadagi') and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. 'Mini Chal') seeds were sown in 40-cell plug trays ($54{\times}27.5{\times}5cm$) filled with growing medium on Oct. 9, 2017. The cultivation environment in a venlo-type glasshouse was maintained as cultivation temperature range of $15-25^{\circ}C$ and the relative humidity of $50{\pm}10%$. Nontreatment and diniconazole ($7.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$) application at 15 days after sowing were used as the control. In addition, brushing treatments in cucumber and tomato were applied interval of 2, 4 or 6 hrs for 15 and 20 days, respectively. Plant height, hypocotyl length, and internode length were inhibited for cucumber and tomato in the diniconazole treatment than in the control. The leaf size was reduced, both cucumber and tomato, while the SPAD increased under the diniconazole treatment. However, stem diameter of cucumber was the thickest in the 2 hrs brushing interval treatment. Fresh weights of shoot and root were the significantly lowest in the diniconazole treatment. Application of brushing improved seedlings quality by promoting dry weights of shoot and root, and compactness of tomato seedlings. The chlorophyll fluorescence of tomato seedlings drastically decreased with 2 hrs treatment, indicating that mechanical stress by brushing treatment. The relative growth rate of tomato seedlings was significantly lower in the diniconazole treatment, but cucumber seedlings were not significantly different in all treatments. As a results, height suppression of cucumber and tomato seedlings was best achievement in the diniconazole treatment by the chemical as growth regulator. In an environment-friendly point of view, however, it is considered that 2 hrs brushing interval treatment can be the applicability for replacing the chemical methods in plug seedling growth of cucumber and tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2012

This study was conducted in a glasshouse to examine the possibility of producing tomato plug seedlings in a newly-developed inert phenolic foam medium. Plug seedlings of 'Madison' tomato were grown in four pellet type media, Grodan rockwool, UR rockwool, phenolic foam LC, and phenolic foam LC-lite. Seed germination was checked for 7 days. Seedling growth was measured at 19 days after sowing. The greatest germination was obtained in the phenolic foam LC and phenolic foam LC-lite. Plant height, hypocotyl length, leaf area, dry weight, and fresh weight were significantly greater in the rockwool medium than those in the other media. However, the T/R ratio and stem diameter were the greatest in the phenolic foam LC than those in the other media. The total porosity and container capacity of the phenolic foam LC was higher than in the other media. The air space (%) was lowest in the phenolic foam LC. Overall, the phenolic foam LC and phenolic foam LC-lite produced seedlings with similar growth as the rockwool. These results suggested that both phenolic foam LC and phenolic foam LC-lite have potential to be used in production of plug seedlings of 'Madison' tomato.