• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2014

This experiment has investigated suitable methods to improve precision water content monitoring of coconut coir substrates to control irrigation by frequency domain reflectometry(FDR) sensors. Specifically, water content changes and variations were observed at different sensing distances and positions from the irrigation dripper location, and different spaces between the FDR sensors with or without noise filters. Commercial coconut coir substrates containing different ratios of dust and chips(10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7) were used. On the upper side and the side of the substrates, a FDR sensor was used at 5, 10, 20, 30cm distances respectively from the irrigation dripper point, and water content was measured by time after the irrigation. In the glass beads, sensors were installed with or without noise filtering. Closer sensing distance had a higher water content increasing rate, regardless of different coir substrate ratios. There were no differencies of water content increasing rates in 10:0 and 3:7 substrates between the upper side and the side. Whereas, 7:3 and 5:5 substrates showed higher increasing rates on the upper side measurements. Substrates with higher ratios of chip(3:7) had lower increasing rates than others. And, with noise filters, the exatitude of measurement was improved because the variation and deviation were reduced. Therefore, in coconut coir with FDR sensors, an efficient water content measurment to control irrigations can be achieved by installing sensors closer to an irrigation point and upper side of substrates with noise filters.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.720-725
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• 2013

When highly shrinkable materials such as coir dust are major component of root media, the degrees of compaction during container filling of root media severely influences the physical properties of root media. It results in the changes in total porosity (TP), container capacity (CC) and air-filled porosity (AFP). This research was conducted to secure the fundamental information in changes of soil physical properties as influenced by the compaction of root media during container filling. To achieve this, three root media were formulated by blending coir dust (CD) with expanded rice hull (CD + ERH, 8:2, v/v), carbonized rice hull (CD + CRH, 6:4) and ground and raw pine bark (CD + GRPB, 8:2). Based on the optimum bulk density, the amount of root media filled into 6.0, 7.5, 8.5, 10.5 and 12.5 cm were adjusted to 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130% based on the weight of root media. Then the changes in TP, CC, and AFP were measured. Elevation of the packing amount of root media in all sizes of pot resulted in the decrease of TP. But the decrease was more severe in CD + ERH and CD + CRH than those in CD + GRPB. The CC also decreased gradually as the packing amounts were elevated in three root media, but the decreases were severe as the container sizes became larger. The AFP decreased drastically by the elevation of the packing amount of root media in all sizes of pot. The AFP was the highest in CD + CRH medium when pot sizes were smaller than 7 cm, but that was the highest in CD + ERH when the pot sizes were larger than 8.5 cm among the 3 root media tested. In this research, the elevation of packing amount of three root media influenced more severely the AFP rather than CC. This result indicates that the packing amount should be controlled to maintain appropriate level of AFP because AFP rather than CC influence severely crop growth. The results obtained through this study can be used to predict the changes in physical properties of root media as influenced by packing amount in various sizes of pots.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.139-151
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• 2007

To protect the surface of ground-cutting slopes and ground-raised slopes and to recover environment-friendly slopes at the national road expansion construction between Gamchon and Yaechon, test-construction work was done using several modes of hydro-seeding measures to select a suitable construction method through the field survey; the results were as follows : As a result of survey on physio-chemical characteristics of soil, the average soil inclination on ground-raised slopes was from 4.73 mm to 5.37 mm; the average soil acidity was from pH 6.47 to 6.73; the average soil humidity was within the scope of 0.57~1.70 %,; the average soil inclination on ground-cutting slopes was 9.17~10.43mm; the average soil acidity was pH 6.67~6.77 and the average soil humidity was within the scope of 0.53~1.27 %; considered overall, they showed generally satisfactory base materials for plant breeding. As a result of the number of sprouting individuals, the average sprouting number of individuals on test spots executed by Coir net with Seed spray construction methods and the average number of sprouting individuals on other test spots executed by furrow-digging with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures were 1,172 number of per square meter and 970 number of per square meter respectively; thus they showed higher numerical value comparing with other test spots. Likewise, the average number of sprouting individuals on test spots of the ground-cutting slopes executed by Coir net with Seed spray method and the average number of sprouting individuals on other test spot executed by furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures were found to be 1,107 number of per square meter and 1,105 number of per square meter respectively, whose numerical value showed rather higher other test spots. As a result of a survey on living plants' breeding index [dried weight], the weight in dried state on test spots executed by Coir net with Seed spray method and other test spots executed by furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures on both ground-raised and ground-cutting slopes was found to be higher and showed similar characteristics statistically. As a result of survey on the surface-covering degree of ground-raised slopes, nine weeks after test construction, test spots executed by Coir net with Seed spray method and other test spots executed by furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures showed commonly more than 70% of surface-covering degree, but other test spots showed only below 35% of surface covering degree; especially in case of test spots by Verdvol seed spray measures, they showed 10% of the lowest surface-covering. Surface-covering degree on the test spot of ground-cutting slopes nine weeks after test construction showed more than 75% both executed by Coir net with Seed spray construction method and executed by furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures. As a result of survey on appearing plants on the test spots, there dominates Eragrostis curvula both on ground-raised slopes and on ground-cutting slopes with other seeding plant life's lower breeding and there appear intruders, such as Setaria viridis Beauv, Digitaria sanguinalis Scop, and Chenopodium album var.centrorubrum Makino. As for water-borne excavation and soil's washing-away on the slopes, there happened less washing-away and water-borne excavation with good breeding of plant life on test spots executed both by Coir net with Seed spray construction method and by furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures, but there happened much more soil's washing-away along with water-home excavation at the test spot executed by Seed spray with measures. After the research results of test construction sites are examined overall, it's presumed that furrow-digger with Seed spray and Straw mat-mulching measures [interval between lines is 40cm, 5cm in depth] will be preferred to prevent erosion and water-home excavation of slopes located within the construction sites.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different height of drainpipe and growing media soilless cultivated cut rose in container culture. Two experiment were to examine the effect of the drainpipe height and media composition on yield and quality of cut rose, Four different drainpipe height (0, 3, 6, 9 cm) were treated to determine of optimal container type. Yield was the highest at 3 cm drainpipe height, but quality was not significantly affected by drainpipe height. Survival rate of rose was 100%, 100%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. Two different drainpipe height (0, 3 cm) and 7 media composition (pure coir and pelite, and mixed with two media 3 : 1, 2 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 2, 1 : 3 v/v) was treated to determine of media composition related to drainpipe height. The supply of nutrient solution was controlled by the signal of water potential at -5 kPa using frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensor in mixed coir with pelite 3 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 3 (v/v), respectively. Irrigation frequency reduced in high ratio of coir media and 3 cm height of drainpipe. Quality of cut rose except for flower weight and yield until 2nd harvest was not significantly affected by drainpipe height, but yield after 3rd was higher at 3 cm than 0 cm height of darinpipe. In the media composition, yield and qulity of cut rose was increased at high ratio of coir media.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2000

This study was conducted in an effort to meet the need for domestic production of hydroponic media and for medium development using recycled hydroponic rockwool slabs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the growth of plug seedlings of petunia 'Romeo' in various mixtures including particles of used rockwool slabs (rockwool particles) and wood chips. In the first experiment, seedlings were grown in plugs filled with mixtures of steam- sterilized rockwool particles and chestnut wood chips, which had been weathered for six months and screened through either 2.8 mm or 5.6 mm sieve, at the mixing ratio of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, or 0:100 (v/v). In the second experiment, seedlings were grown in plugs filled with twenty different mixtures of steam-sterilized particles of used hydroponic rockwool slabs with 4 mm chestnut or pine wood chips, coir, peatmoss, or perlite. In the first experiment seedling growth was not affected by particle size of chestnut wood chips, was superior in the control (commercial plug medium) and in 100% rockwool particles, but was suppressed as mixing ratio of chestnut wood chips increased. In the second experiment, leaf length, and shoot fresh and dry weights were the greatest in rockwool particles+peatmoss+coir treatment, followed by rockwool particles+peatmoss treatment. Leaf length was suppressed as ratio of wood chips increased, especially of chestnut wood chips. Root development was the greatest in rockwool particles+peatmoss+perlite treatment, followed by the control, and rockwool particles+peatmoss+coir treatment. The growth was suppressed as the mixing ratio of rockwool particles, peatmoss, or coir decreased.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2021

This study aimed to compare the growth and production of paprika (Capsicum annuum) planted directly on a coir substrate slab according to the bending methods. The existing root direction was bent to 0° (I-type), 90° (L-type), and 180° (U-type), respectively. The weekly average growth such as stem length, diameter, and leaf area tended to be the highest in the I-type bending, but there was no statistical difference. Root weight at 46 weeks after planting was also about 1.3 to 1.7 times heavier in the I-type than the L- and U-type bending. As the yield produced by 330 plants by bending methods, the initial yield was the highest in the U-bending, but then the highest in the I-bending. Accordingly, the total yield was the highest in I-bending. Consequently, when planting on coir substrates directly in paprika cultivation, the I-type bending should be considered most suitable for securing root and plant vigor in the early stages of planting and for enhancing fruiting stability.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.729-735
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different compositions of environmental substrates on hydroponic tomato cultivation. Three different substrates were used in coir chip:dust (v/v=50:50; CP1), coir chip:dust (v/v=80:20; CP2), and rock wool cube with CP2 (CPR). The amount of irrigation during the cultivation period was 190 mL/(plant time) in all substrates. The pH and EC were 5.8-6.2 and 2.6-2.9 dS/m, respectively. The drainage rate in CP1 was 31%, in CP2 was 36%, and in CPR was 29%. The growth of tomato plants in terms of height was higher in CP1 and CPR. The leaf area was greater in CP2. The fresh and dry weights were greater in CP2 and CPR treatments. The net photosynthesis in CP2 ($19.31{\mu}mol\;CO_2/m^2s$) and root activity in CP2 were higher among all three treatments. The soluble solid content of fruit was not significantly different among treatments. The yield per plant in CP2 and CPR treatments was 17% greater than the yield per plant in CP1. Therefore, the most suitable substrate for hydroponic tomato cultivation is the substrate mixed with coir chip:dust (v:v=80:20; CP2), i.e., CPR.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.38-51
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• 2006

This study was carried out to improve rehabilitation effect by hydro-seeding methods on denuded slopes. Lespedeza cyrtobotrya, Indigofera pseudotinctoria, Arudinella hirta, Poa pratensis, and Lolium perenne were used in this study. The results of the germination and growth characteristics by seed coating, slope control and soil mulching treatments are summarized here. Seed coating of those plants had an effect on germination ratio, germination force, $LD_{50}$, and seedling growth of stem, leaf and root. The seed coating effect was highest for I. pseudotinctoria while the seedling growth was best for L. cyrtobotrya. Vermiculite+Talcum was the best coating material for germination and seedling growth of the plants. As the slopes were steeper, germination ratio was lower and seedling growth of stem and root decreased. Lots of seeds and soils were swept away when the slope was steep. Soil mulching was effective for germination, seedling growth of stem and root, and soil stabilization. It was more effective when the slope was steeper. Coir net was the most effective soil mulching material n this study.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2010

Irrigation management methods controlled by integrated solar radiation (ISR) or drainage level sensor were evaluated in rockwool or coir bag culture as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production system. Substrate water content and drainage percentage were more stable in the drainage level sensor method than in the ISR method regardless of substrate type. Total yield and marketable yield were high in the drainage level sensor method, but not between substrates in the same irrigation management method. Sugar content was affected more by the substrate type than irrigation method. The drainage level sensor method was elucidated to be better than the ISR method regardless of substrate type.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.418-423
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• 2017

In hydroponics, the nutrient solution is supplied considering the water and nutrient uptake characteristics of crops. However, as the ionic uptake characteristics are changed as a result of the weather conditions or the growth response of the crops, the root zone can not be maintained in optimal condition. In addition, the coir substrate has been used mainly for the tomato cultivation in place of the inorganic substrate, there are few studies on long-term cultivation using coir substrate. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of EC level of irrigation solution on tomato growth and inorganic ions of root zone in soilless culture using coir. Coir substrate mixed with 5 : 5 chip and dust was used. EC level of irrigation solution was 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. At the initial stage, $NO_3-N$, P, Ca and Mg in the drainage were lower than the irrigation level at 1.0 and $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. However, EC $2.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ or higher, all the ions except P were highly concentrated in the drainage. The average fruit weight was not significantly different between 1.0 and $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ until 3th cluster, but from the next cluster, the higher the EC level, the smaller the weight. The number of fruit and yield to 6th cluster was the highest at $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. From the next cluster, The yield was decreased with the higher EC level. At the early stage of growth, BER occurred only in EC $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, but increased in all treatments with increasing irradiation. The incidence rate of EC $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ was higher than that of the lower EC level treatment.