• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2015

Manual grafting is a labor-intensive operation and highly susceptible to human error. Development of grafting robot has been considered as an effective alternative to manual grafting. The study was conducted to investigate the grafting efficiency between the domestically produced automated grafting robot and traditional manual grafting performed in a commercial plug seedling greenhouse. Plug seedlings of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) 'Buchon' and 'Anseongmatchum' were sown as scions and rootstocks, respectively on March 29, 2013. The grafting was performed by a grafting robot, amateur grafters, and professional grafters on May 31, 2013. After grafting, the seedling efficiencies and seedling characteristics were compared in terms of plant height, the number of success as well as failure of seedling grafts produced in an hour. The results showed that plant heights were most uniform in the grafts performed by the professionals that had a 0.6 cm difference whereas an uneven difference of 2.1 cm difference was observed in plug seedling grafted by an amateur. However, plug seedlings grafted by the grafting robot were found to be uniform with 1 cm plant height difference. Moreover, the maximum number of grafting processed plug seedlings per hour (667 plants) was achieved by the grafting robot on compared with the seedlings grafted (466 plants) by the professionals. Furthermore, the least failure rate of 21.7% was noted upon the usage of grafting robot than the manual grafters. Thus, the results demonstrate that the technology of automated grafting robots is the most appealing and can be employed in commercial plug seedling greenhouses to overcome the drawbacks of manual grafting.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 1997

This study was conducted to develop a robotic transplanter for bedding plants. The robotic transplanter consisted of machine vision system, manipulator attached with the specially designed gripper, and plug tray transfer system. Results of this study were as follows. 1. A machine vision system for a robotic transplanter was developed. The success rates of detecting empty cells and bad seedlings in 72-cell and 128-cell plug-trays for cucumber seedlings were 98.8％ and 94.9％ respectively. The success rates of identifying leaf orientation for 72- cell and 128-cell plug-trays were 93.5% and 91.0%, respectively. 2. A cartesian coordinate manipulator for a robotic transplanter with 3 degrees of freedom was constructed. The accuracy of position control was $\pm$ 1mm. 3. The robotic transplanter was tested with a shovel-type finger. Without considering leaf orientation, the success rates of transplanting healthy cucumber seedlings for 72-cell and 128-cell plug-trays were 95.5% and 94.5%, respectively. Considering leaf orientation, the success rates of transplanting healthy cucumber seedling in 72-cell and 128-cell plug-trays were 96.0% and 95.0%, respectively.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 1995

This study was conducted to establish technologies for plug seedling production using somatic embryos-derived regenerants and their seeds in Bupleurum falcatum L. Among distilled water, GA (0.1mg/l) and putrescine (0.lmg/l) treated to regenerants for acclimatization, GA was most effective to develop shoots and roots, 1/2X MS medium and NAA 0.1mg/l + BA 0. 5mg/l enhanced the growth rates of the regenerants and increased dry weight. Activated charcoal effected to grow markedly leaves and roots of the regenerants at the level of 0.4 %. Regenerants increased their plant height, root length and dry weight at $30^{\circ}C$. Plug seedlings originated from seeds of the tissue culture regenerants showed the maxium growth on the mixture of peatmoss soil (2) and mountain sand (1) .Root length, leaf area and dry weight of plug seedlings increased significantly when No.1, 2 and 3 of Wondergrow solution were mixed in the ratio of 1.3 - 0.9 - 0.1. Light supplement (4%) and high tem­perature $(30^{\circ}C)$ promoted the growth of plug seedlings as well as dry weight. Ninety days seedlings were more vigorous and adaptable for transplanting than other seedlings.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2012

The study was conducted in a glasshouse to examine the possibility of producing paprika plug seedlings in a newly developed inert phenolic foam growing medium. Plug seedlings of 'Fascinato' paprika were grown in five media, Grodan rockwool (Grodan Co. Ltd., Denmark), UR rockwool (UR Co. Ltd., Korea), phenolic foam LC (Smithers Oasis Korea Co. Ltd., Korea), phenolic foam RC, and phenolic foam 3813-4 all in a pellet type. Seeds were germinated in a growth chamber ($25^{\circ}C$, 90% RH, dark) for 4-5 days and then seedlings were grown in a glasshouse with nutrient solution supplied by an overhead irrigation system. Seedling growths were measured 20 days after sowing. The medium pH was the highest in the Grodan rockwool, and medium EC was the highest in phenolic foam 3813-4, although no nutritional excess disorders were observed. Germination rates of paprika were higher than 90% in all the media. Plant height, stem diameter, T/R ratio, leaf area, and chlorophyll showed a similar to those in the rockwool medium. Number of leaves, length of the longest root and dry weights of shoot were not significantly different among treatments. Overall, phenolic foam LC and RC produced seedlings with a similar growth as the rockwool medium. The results obtained suggest that rockwool can be replaced with a new material such as phenolic foam in the commercial scale production of plug seedlings of 'Fascinato' paprika.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2000

Cultivation of onions in Korean peninsula is so restricted to Southern region, mainly due to inadequate air temperature for the growth of onions in this region. This sometimes resulted in unstable supply of onions. The fluctuation of market prices mainly results from the limited production of onions in such restricted areas. Onions are usually transplanted at the end of fall and cultivated until the beginning of next summer. This study was designed to examine the possibility of extending production region of onions by adopting the plug seedling system, and the effects of plug seedling age, transplanting date, plug cell volume, and variety on the yield of onions were investigated. Transplanting date (Mar. 15 or Apr. 15) did not affect the yield of onions. However, 60-day-old seedlings produced significantly greater bulb yield (107.2 ton/ha) than those of 30- or 90- day-old seedlings. Bulb yields of seedlings raised in 128 and 72 cell trays were 125.0 and 120.8 ton/ha, which were significantly greater than those in other cell trays. Yield of seedlings raised in 406 cell trays was the lowest. Seedlings of mid-late 'Chenjuwhang' yielded 130.5 Ton/ha, which was significantly higher than those of other varieties. Considering the rainy season during early summer, we suggest that seedlings of onions raised for 60 days and transplanted on Mar. 15 should be advantageous in producing of marketable bulbs and that an early 'Yongbongwhang' should be the best variety.

• 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.12 no.4
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• pp.252-258
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• 2003

This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of UV-B (4 kJ${\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) irradiation and growth inhibitor (50 mg${\cdot}L^{-1}$ diniconazole, 500 mg${\cdot}L^{-1}$) treatment on the overgrowth retardation and the growth and yield afterplanting in plug-grown cucumber, tomato, and hot pepper sedlings. Stem length of UV-B-irradiated and iniconazole-treated seedlings was shortened by 38 and 35%^ in cucumber, 37 and 41% in tomato, and 23 and 23% in hot pepper, respectively, compared with non-treated seedlings. While retarding effect ofhexaconazole waslower that that of UV-B or diniconazle. Leaf area and dry weight alson decreased but ldaf thickness increased in UV-B irradiated or growth-inhibitor-treated seedlings. Even thouth the plant height and leaf area of UV-B-irradiated seedlings ant seedling stage were shorter and smaller that those ofnon-treatedd seedlings, they were recovered to the similar level to the growth of non-treated seedlings 20to 30days after trasplantin. The diconazole-and hexaconazole-treated seedlings were delayed recovery to their normal growth, Fruit yiedl of UV-V-irradiated hot pepper and tomato slightly increased but UV-B irradiated cucumer had similar yield to growth-inhibitor-treated one. It suggested that the use of UV-B irradiation could become a reliable tool of overgrowth retardation of plug-grown vegetable seedlings in greenhouse.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.43-46
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• 2009

The one of problems of plug seedlings production in winter season was a poor growth. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of treatments with yeast fertilizers on the growth of pepper seedlings in winter seasons. The plant height, internode length, and shoot and dry weight of pepper seedlings increased significantly by yeast fertilizers. The results showed that yeast fertilizer treatment could be more effective in soaking than foliar spray and that of dilution could be effective in $1,000{\times}$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.260-265
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• 2000