Plant Cultivation Systems Research Articles

PENDAMPINGAN TEKNIS APLIKASI BAHAN ORGANIK EKSOGEN PADA LAHAN HORTIKULTURA KELOMPOK TANI MEKAR BARU DI DESA WAIMITAL KABUPATEN SERAM BAGIAN BARAT

Providing exogenous organic materials is a very important ingredient in efforts to safely improve soil productivity, so that the resulting products are safe for consumption and free from chemical contamination. The application of organic fertilizer to horticultural land will directly affect crop yields. The aim of community service on horticultural land in the Mekar Baru farmer group in Waimital village is as an effort to assist and strengthen the plant cultivation system for farmers in maintaining land productivity and sustainable production based on the application of organic fertilizer. The method used is technical assistance to farmers during plant cultivation. The results of the technical assistance provided show that new awareness has been built in the horticultural plant cultivation system. This indicator shows that the application of liquid organic fertilizer to several horticultural plants on farmers' land is better than on land that does not receive organic fertilizer.

Perbandingan Jenis Media Tanam dengan Sistem Aquaponik Terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Melon Madu (Cucumis melo L.)

The aquaponic plant cultivation system is used to utilize narrow urban land in order to increase urban agricultural production. The aim of the research is to determine the effect of comparing types of planting media with an aquaponic system on the growth and yield of honey melon plants (Cucumis melo L.). This research used a non-factorial Complete Randomized Design, with 4 treatment and 5 replication with the factors studied was the comparison of several types of planting media for the "M" aquaponic system consisting of M1 = 50% sludge planting media + 50% rice husk charcoal, M2 = 50% cocopeat planting medium + 50% rice husk charcoal, M3 = 50% tankos planting medium + 50% rice husk charcoal, M4 = 50% filter cake planting medium + 50% Rice Husk Charcoal. The parameters observed were plant length (cm), stem diameter (cm), number of leaves (strands), flowering age (days), fruit weight per treatment (kg), fruit diameter (cm). The results of the research showed that the comparative effect of several types of planting media in the aquaponic system had a positive effect on the parameters of plant length (cm), stem diameter (cm), number of leaves (strands), flowering age (days), fruit weight (kg), and fruit diameter ( cm) with the best treatment on M1 (50% sludge planting medium + 50% rice husk charcoal). Keywords: aquaponics, planting media, honey melon

KELURAHAN PETANI HIJAU MODERN: SMART FARMING MENGGUNAKAN TEKNOLOGI PANEL SURYA UNTUK MEWUJUDKAN KAWASAN PERTANIAN MODERN DI KELURAHAN BAKUNG JAYA

The development of automatic plant watering devices has become a major focus in increasing efficiency and effectiveness in plant cultivation. In this context, automatic plant watering devices that use electrical energy sources from solar panels have shown great potential in saving energy and reducing environmental impacts. This tool is designed to replace manual work in watering plants, both in hydroponic systems and sprinkler systems. In hydroponic systems, automatic plant watering devices use soil moisture sensors to detect soil moisture and send commands to the water pump to water periodically. This allows hydroponic plants to receive nutrients continuously and maintain air humidity with automatic fogging. Meanwhile, in sprinkler systems, automatic plant watering devices use solar panels as a source of electrical energy. These solar panels generate electrical energy that is used to power the water pump and sprinkler, thus watering plants automatically without the need for human intervention. The advantages of using solar panel in automatic plant watering devices include the use of renewable energy, easy maintenance, and no greenhouse gas emissions. However, this tool also has disadvantages, such as dependence on sunlight intensity. Thus, the development of automatic plant watering devices using solar panel can help increase plant productivity, save energy, and reduce environmental impacts. This tool can also be integrated with various types of plant cultivation systems, thus providing many benefits in the development of modern agricultural technology.

Biological culture module for plant research from seed-to-seed on the Chinese Space Station

The long-term cultivation of higher plants in space plays a substantial role in investigating the effects of microgravity on plant growth and development, acquiring valuable insights for developing a self-sustaining space life supporting system. The completion of the Chinese Space Station (CSS) provides us with a new permanent space experimental platform for long-term plant research in space. Biological Culture Module (GBCM), which was installed in the Wentian experimental Module of the CSS, was constructed with the objective of growing Arabidopsis thaliana and rice plants a full life cycle in space. The techniques of LED light control, gas regulation and water recovery have been developed for GBCM in which dry seeds of Arabidopsis and rice were set in root module of four culture chambers (CCs) and launched with Wentian module on July 24, 2022. These seeds were watered and germinated from July 28 and grew new seeds until November 26 within a duration of 120 days. To this end, both Arabidopsis and rice plants completed a full life cycle in microgravity on the CSS. As we know, this is the first space experiment achieving rice complete life cycle from seed-to-seed in space. This result demonstrates the possibility to cultivate the important food crop rice throughout its entire life cycle under the spaceflight environment and the technologies of GBCM have effectively supported the success of long-term plant culture experiments in space. These results can serve as invaluable references for constructing more expansive and intricate space plant cultivation systems in the future.

Propagating eelgrass (Zostera marina) from cuttings in land–sea combination systems: a novel method to improve the sustainability of seagrass restoration

The combination of a land‐based system and natural habitat can propagate donor plants from cuttings for use in seagrass restoration projects; however, the appropriate period for land‐based cultivation is unclear. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) cuttings were cultivated under different combinations of land‐based (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks) and natural habitat cultivation for 12 weeks. We measured survivorship, growth, productivity, leaf pigmentation, and carbohydrate concentration in eelgrass. Return on investment (defined as the number of ramets of Z. marina returned through input cultivation costs in the seagrass cultivation process) analysis suggested that the optimal period of land‐based cultivation for the propagation of Z. marina is 3.1–3.8 weeks. The ramet frequency of Z. marina exposed to a combination of land‐based cultivation (3 weeks) and natural habitat cultivation (9 weeks) was 1.4 times higher than that of plants cultivated in natural habitats for 12 weeks. The promotional effect of the combination of land‐based and natural habitat cultivation on Z. marina mainly depended on the increase in chlorophyll content and the accumulation and synthesis of nonstructural carbohydrates. The soluble sugar content of Z. marina leaves exposed to a combination of land‐based cultivation (3 weeks) and natural habitat cultivation (9 weeks) was 1.5 times higher than that of plants cultivated in natural habitats for 12 weeks. These results indicated that implementation of a controlled plant cultivation system and process to acquire abundant donor plants. This can help provide valuable data for the development of efficient artificial propagation technologies for Z. marina.

Aplikasi Biosaka dan Biochar Pada Lahan Tanaman Hortikultura di Pulau Ternate

The production of curly chili and tomato plants as well as resistance to anthracnose and fusarium attacks on farmers' land in Sulamadaha and Kastela Villages, Ternate City, currently has the potential to decrease compared to its potential in recent years. Plant production and resilience are expected to decline as the soil health of agricultural land declines. Soil health on chili and tomatoes is determined by land management systems such as fertilization, pest and disease control, from planting to harvest. The problem approach in the management of soil health is carried out through counseling and product-making training to improve soil health. The problems agreed to be resolved through counseling are the introduction of healthy soil characteristics, how to maintain healthy soil, sources of plant nutrients from natural materials, and plant cultivation systems. Product training activities include how to select biosaka and biochar raw materials, methods for making products, and methods for applying products to plants and on agricultural land. Activities are carried out through several stages: counseling, training, and implementation. Measurement of farmer's understanding of extension and training materials is carried out through evaluation before the activity (pre-test) and at the end of the activity (post-test). The standard of success is determined through indicators of increasing understanding and mastery of the material by 25 percent from pre-test to post-test. After the application of biosaka and biochar products, plant performance is measured through plant height, number of branches, and production. The training activities increased the material mastery by 48.68% for biosaka and 70.37% for biochar. The highest curly chili production was 0.94 kg tree-1 harvest-1, and tomato production was 0.59 kg tree-1 harvest-1.

Thriving on Mars: Potatoes as the Answer to Martian Challenges

Humans have committed themselves to the exploration of space and the quest for a habitable planet. Central to the development of a sustainable ecosystem that can provide essential resources like food and water is the implementation of space plant cultivation systems. In the pursuit of bio-regenerative life support systems for human space exploration, the inclusion of plants is imperative. This study focuses on assessing potential challenges associated with cultivating Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) under simulated Martian conditions. Potatoes exhibit adaptability to extremely cold and dry environments, making them a promising candidate for extraterrestrial agriculture. The advantages of potatoes include their high yield, rich content of easily digestible carbohydrates, elevated protein levels, and simplicity of propagation. When induced to tuberize, potatoes can achieve a harvest index exceeding 80%, approximately double that of traditional grain crops. Notably, unlike certain crops such as soybeans and certain grains, potatoes do not necessitate elaborate processing procedures before consumption. The Potato, specifically varieties like Norland, Denali, and Russet Burbank, has garnered attention in research funded by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Tests have revealed that these cultivars can successfully undergo tuberization even under constant bright light conditions, emphasizing their potential suitability for life support functions in space exploration contexts

Influence of Monoculture and Polyculture Planting Patterns on the Intensity of Pest Attacks by Helopeltis sp. on Arabica Coffee of the Sigarar Utang Variety in North Tapanuli Regency

Coffee is one of the leading commodities in the plantation subsector in North Sumatra which has good market opportunities both domestically and abroad. Especially in the Lake Toba area, apart from the PBKo pest, it turns out that attacks by the coffee leaf sucking pest Helopeltis sp. are also felt to be very important by farmers, because the presence of Helopeltis sp. This causes the coffee leaf shoots to develop brown spots, curl and eventually dry out and die (die back). The aim of the research was to study the symptoms of attacks and the intensity of Helopeltis sp. attacks on Arabica coffee plants in the Lake Toba area, North Tapanuli Regency. This research was carried out on people's coffee plantations in North Tapanuli Regency at an altitude of 1,300 meters above sea level, from February to June 2023. On the Sigarar Utang variety Arabica coffee plantation with monoculture and polyculture planting patterns. The sample plants were determined to be 10% of the total plants at each observation location. Sampling of plant samples is determined using a zig zag line. The parameters observed were the intensity of attacks and the percentage of pest attacks. The results obtained by Helopeltis sp. sucking shoot pests have been known to attack coffee plants in North Tapanuli Regency with symptoms of attack. At the start of the attack, leaf spots are visible, brown, curly and eventually dry out, die back, then grow rosettes, namely shoots, new ones that are shortened tightly and do not develop. The intensity of attacks by Helopeltis sp. on smallholder coffee plantations in North Tapanuli Regency is quite varied, from light to heavy attacks with the intensity of shoot attacks ranging from 15.67% to 57.80%. Monoculture coffee plantations with protective plants, but no pruning, are locations with Helopeltis sp. attack levels in the heavy category with shoot attack intensity reaching 56.66%. The intercropping coffee plant cultivation system (polyculture) had a significant influence on the low intensity of Helopeltis sp. attacks, where tcount (8.921) > ttable (2.306).

Criminal Aspects of Plant Cultivation

Plant cultivation is a very important means of production in realising food self-sufficiency for farmers, considering that cultivating plants is the life and livelihood of farmers. Therefore, it is a wrong action when the government draws up a plan for plant cultivation without involving farmers. The purpose of this research is to examine the extent of the government's role in strengthening food sovereignty through the implementation of the Plant Cultivation System Law, because the Law does not appear to provide for the rights of farmers. The existence of several cases where farmers are brought to trial for criminal provisions of plant cultivation shows that legal protection has not been carried out on the rights of farmers in maintaining local seeds and conducting plant crosses as charged in court, namely having carried out programs that are contrary to government programs that require the use of certified seeds or seeds produced by seed companies. This research is important to do in order to provide protection to novice farmers in cultivating plants to create a just legal framework. The research method uses normative research with a statutory approach, concept approach and case approach. The results of the study aim to provide a recommendation for strengthening the role of farmer participation in planning their lives and livelihoods so that there is no dependence on seeds originating from companies in accordance with the mandate of Article 28 A of the 1945 Constitution.

Utilization of Yard for Vegetable Cultivation as an Effort to Prevent the Impact of Climate Change

The utilization of yards for vegetable cultivation is an effort to prevent the impact of climate change. The purpose of the service is to make verticulture an alternative to the limited land owned by the community and the limited water supply for vegetable cultivation. The service activities were carried out in the yards of Krapyak Village residents in Pekalongan City. The problem faced was tidal flooding which has a major impact on the people of Pekalongan, especially those living in coastal areas. Moreover, tidal flooding in coastal areas is exacerbated by rainwater inundation and flood submissions. The Innovation Technology Package is a plant cultivation system that is carried out vertically or at multiple levels using bamboo so that it is environmentally friendly. This method involves counseling and training by the service team. The activities carried out were 1) socialization and training in making verticulture 2) training in the use of planting media; 3) seed sowing training; 4) planting training on verticulture; 5) plant care training, and 6) making compost houses and composting training. The results of the service show that the program was carried out well. There has been an increase in community skills for cultivating verticulture techniques and compost production. The level of community participation was high, with attendance at each activity reaching 90%.

Make a choice: A rapid strategy for minimizing peat in horticultural press pots substrates using a constrained mixture design and surface response approach.

Peat is the most common used substrate in horticultural seedling production. To reduce peat in horticultural potted plant cultivation systems in general is an obstacle, even within the highly specialized horticultural industry. Next to soil-less cultivation systems as e.g. hydroponics, the horticultural industry is eagerly looking for suitable peat substitutes. The demands on these compounds are high, basically mimicking the physical properties of peat. A 100% replacement of peat for press-pots used in seedling production has not yet been found, and only mixes of peat and substrates exist. Several suitable peat substitutes with different properties are known, that usually are used as a share of a mixed peat-substitute substrate. A constrained mixture design was used to test substrates containing 50% v/v and 25% v/v peat and four peat substitutes (two composts and two wood fibers) for vegetable seedling production. By limiting the maximum quantities of each material to be added, there was no negative effect on the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis). This means a reduction in of peat to 25% v/v is possible without a change in substrate quality. The mixture design allowed a quick decision to be made regarding the most suitable peat-reduced mixtures. The surface response approach enabled the experimental results to be easily transferred to horticultural practices, additionally. This flexible and efficient method also allows the predictions to be used to meet specific crop management needs.

Investigating the response of green and red spinach microgreen yield and chlorophyll content in varied light-emitting diode and plant nutrient

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) improves photosynthesis, vegetative development, seed germination, and chlorophyll content in a controlled-environment plant cultivation system. This study used LEDs as artificial grow illumination with 4 four distinct ratios, 100% blue, 100% red, 100% white, 67%:20%:13% red:blue:white, for 12 hours. Microgreens were watered twice daily with 250 ppm of plant nutrients, using a commercial AB mix and liquid organic fertilizer. Different LED ratios have varied lux and Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD), i.e. 100 lux and 44.26 mol·m−2·s−1 PPFD for 100% blue; 600 lux and 20.32 mol·m−2·s−1 PPFD for 100% red; 1000 lux and 95.92 mol·m−2·s−1 PPFD for 100% white; 350 lux, and 37.33 mol·m−2·s−1 for 67%:20%:13% red:blue:white; with maintained 25-27°C of temperature and 70-80% of relative humidity. The 100% white LED lamp with AB Mix as plant nutrient resulted in the best growth of red and green spinach microgreens, with height, leaf area, fresh weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content of 2.98 cm, 1.32 cm2, 0.14 gr, 19.05 mg/ L, 11.38 mg/L, 19.76 mg/L for green spinach and 3.01 cm, 0.91 cm2, 0.08 g, 19.12 mg/L, 9.93 mg/L, 18.50 mg/L for red spinach.

Intelligent Control of Mushroom Growing Conditions Using an Electronic System for Monitoring and Maintaining Environmental Parameters

In order to make plant cultivation as economical and efficient as possible, and to reduce the amount of human errors and labour costs, autonomous systems for growing plants and, in this case, also mushrooms, are increasingly being implemented. In this work, a prototype of an electronic/automatic system was designed and manufactured for the monitoring and control of the parameters of mushroom growing conditions. Appropriate sensors were used to monitor the application parameters such as CO2 level, temperature and humidity, and the data were sent to the main logic controller using an RS 485 interface-based local data transmission network. Both the main controller and the individual parts of the system were made on the basis of PIC18F25K83 microcontrollers, using the C programming language to create the program code. In order to achieve optimal system operation, a software algorithm was created to ensure fast system operation. During the production, the PCBs of the system were optimized to achieve the smallest possible dimensions and optimal construction and the arrangement of the active electronic elements. For the convenience of the user, a system application was created so that it is possible to monitor information from the environmental sensors and the process of parameter control. This work aimed to show that such autonomous systems based on environmental sensor monitoring are universal and can be applied to a large number of plant species. In addition, the capabilities of the plant cultivation system can be expanded if needed by additionally connecting relevant environmental sensors and environmental parameter regulation units.

Performance analysis of hydroponic system on verticulture technique of spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)

Verticulture technique is a stratified plant cultivation system carried out vertically, either outdoors or indoors. The vertical cultivation system aims to overcome the decline in paddy fields due to the conversion of land to non-agricultural land. This vertical technique is very suitable for narrow land because it does not take up much space. Verticulture or vertical farming has three techniques, namely Hydroponics, Aquaponics, and Aeroponics. Hydroponic plant cultivation with a tower system is in great demand at this time, because the tower used a vertical pipe with water dripping from the top of the tower. Some of the nutrients are absorbed by plants through the roots and some fall to the bottom of the tower which then returns to the storage container, and is ready to be pumped back to the top of the tower. Tower hydroponics has the advantage that on 1 m2 land with a tower height of 1.5 m we can plant 50-80 plant stems, whereas with the usual method only 25-30 plant stems are obtained. This study aims to design and technical test of a hydroponic system with verticulture techniques on spinach. The design results show that with an area of 3 x 2.5 m2, it has 24 towers and 624 plant holes. Each plant hole has 4-6 plant stems. spinach can grow perfectly compared to control plants. The results of these studies indicate that this system is very suitable for a narrow area.

Design and Construction Pond Temperature Control System and Automatic Nile Tilapia Fish Feeder for Aquaponics

Expansion of land for the development of human civilization reduces natural ecosystems. Especially land for agriculture and fisheries in densely populated areas. The more the population, the more food needs. One way to deal with this problem is aquaponic cultivation. Aquaponics is a modern practical farming system that integrates plant cultivation systems with aquatic animal cultivation. In aquaponics cultivation there are factors that need to be considered. One of these success factors is the Temperature and Automatic Feeder in the pond. To get the temperature needed by the fish, temperature control is carried out using the DS18B20 sensor. When the fish pond temperature drops below 28°C, the heater will automatically turn on to raise the pond temperature, and when the pond temperature rises above 32°C, the peltier will turn on and start lowering the pond temperature. Feeding is one of the success factors for aquaponics. If the feed given does not match the weight and age of the fish, the growth of the fish can be disrupted, causing the fish to die. Automatic feeding uses the RTC module as the set time and the servo motor as the opening valve for the fish feed container. Fish were fed at 08.00, 12.00, and 17.00. The average error obtained after validating the DS18B20 sensor is 0.61. The accuracy obtained is 98.05%. The ratio of fish RGR before and after the control system was installed was 7.14% and 11.2 The fish FCR values before and after the control system was installed were 12.50% and 21.07%. The plant growth rates before and after the control system was installed were 22.9% and 33.71%.

The Effect of the Irradiation Dose and Time Factors on Producing Capacity of Lettuce and Leaf Vegetables in Photo-Culture Conditions

Optimisation of the irradiation dose and duration factors in conditions of lettuce-and-leaf vegetable photo-culture matches the goals of development of controllable plant cultivation systems for greenhouses and other protected-ground facilities. Based on the literature of the last years, it is specified that the DLI (Daily Light Integral) factor is paid great attention to in development of sustainable industrial phyto-technology with use of online meteorological and satellite-navigation data. The opportunities of control of the factors under consideration are demonstrated through the example of the author’s experiment in photo-culture conditions of two lettuce cultivars (Frisee and Adamant) made using an automated multi-layer City Farm installation in a room with controlled environment. During the experiment, the variable values of PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) in range (180–220) μmol/(m2s), daily photoperiod τф from 13 to 21 hours, vegetation duration t about 24 to 30 days were used with constant VLI, which is the new concept of vegetation light integral (VLI), was introduced similarly to DLI. It is found that the principle of reciprocity of irradiance parameters and time (the Bunsen-Roscoe law) is not met at constant dose. In terms of average producing capacity, it was possible to increase the level of biomass synthesis by 30 % for Frisee lettuce and by 36 % for Adamant lettuce. A series of partial dependences relating producing capacity of lettuce cultivars to DLI, photoperiod, and vegetation duration was obtained (the authors understand producing capacity as biomass over the vegetation period). The experiment results may be used as input data for the Virtual Agronomist software developed for controlled plant cultivation.

Biological Activity of Extracts from Differently Produced Blueberry Fruits in Inhibiting Proliferation and Inducing Apoptosis of HT-29 Cells.

For several decades, people have been searching for natural substances of plant origin that, when introduced into the diet, could strengthen immunity, have anticancer properties, and support conventional therapy. The development of agriculture with the implementation of various plant cultivation systems, apart from the economic aspect, results in the search for such cultivation conditions that would contribute to obtaining the most beneficial product for health. Therefore, the aim of our research is as follows: (a) to compare the antiproliferative activity and the ability to induce apoptosis of HT-29 cells by extracts from blueberry fruits deriving from different types of cultivation systems (conventional, organic, and biodynamic); (b) to examine whether the interaction of extracts with anticancer drugs used in the treatment of colorectal cancer is influenced by the type of cultivation, and (c) to investigate whether extracts obtained from fruits from subsequent years of cultivation retain the same biological activity. The results of our study are promising but inconclusive. A statistically significant difference occurred in only one of the two years of the study. The greatest inhibition of proliferation is observed for biodynamic cultivation compared to organic cultivation, while the highest levels of apoptosis and necrosis of HT-29 cells are induced by blueberry fruit extracts obtained from organic cultivation. The complementary effect of the extracts on the inhibition of HT-29 cell proliferation by anticancer drugs (5-FU and Erbitux) is not demonstrated. The induction of apoptosis by 5-FU is not enhanced by blueberry extracts, in contrast to necrosis. The level of apoptosis and necrosis induced by Erbitux is potentiated, but no dependence on crop type is shown. Blueberry fruit extracts from two consecutive years of cultivation did not maintain the same activity. A plausible reason for the variability in the composition and biological activity of fruit extracts obtained from two years of cultivation is the varying environmental conditions.

ANALISIS PERFORMA SISTEM KENDALI pH DAN TDS TERLARUT BERBASIS INTERNET OF THINGS PADA SISTEM HIDROPONIK DFT

The Deep Flow Technique (DFT) hydroponic system is one of the techniques in the plant cultivation system with water media at the household level. In this hydroponic system installation, the nutrients that plants need are supplied using electric power with a relatively small circulation flow rate. In large-scale plant cultivation, it is very important to have a tool to monitor and evaluate two important components in hydroponic system cultivation, namely pH and TDS levels dissolved in water which are very decisive in the plant growth process. In this study, a pH and TDS monitoring system was fabricated on an IoT-based Deep Flow Technique (DFT) hydroponic system, and an analysis of the system's performance was carried out for cultivating kale. From the results of system testing, this system is able to control the acidity of water (Ph) with a value of 5.5 -6 and for dissolved TDS, the system is able to control automatically at 1050 ppm to 1400 ppm.

Morphological Responses of Edamame Soybean and Sweet Corn Planted in Intercropping with Combinations of Plant Populations on Three Varieties of Sweet Corn

The intercropping pattern is a plant cultivation system that is very suitable for increasing productivity on marginal dry land with relatively low fertility levels. The regulation of plant population density and the selection of appropriate varieties can minimize the negative influence of competition between sweet corn and edamame soybeans to optimize the growth of both plants. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the best plant population density in the intercropping pattern of sweet corn and edamame soybean (2) determine the best varieties in the intercropping pattern of sweet corn and edamame soybean and (3) determine the combination of plant population density and the best crop varieties in the intercropping pattern. The treatments were arranged in a factorial consisting of 2 factors. The first factor was the population density of edamame soybeans which consisted of three levels: 1 row of edamame soybeans between rows of sweet corn (B1), 2 rows of edamame soybeans between rows of sweet corn (B2), and 3 rows of edamame soybeans between rows of sweet corn (B3). The second factor is three sweet corn varieties, namely the Secada variety (V1), the Exotic variety (V2), and the Golden Sweet variety so that there are nine treatment combinations. The results showed that (1) the plant population density model of 2 rows of edamame between rows of sweet corn and sweet corn varieties Secada can produce the best sweet corn growth by increasing the wet weight of sweet corn, (2) sweet corn varieties that have the most suitable for intercropping in this research model is the Secada variety, based on plant height, the number of leaves, stem diameter, and plant wet weight, (3) edamame soybean produces relatively the same morphological growth in all population density models and sweet corn varieties used.

Increased Carbon Dioxide by Occupants Promotes Growth of Leafy Vegetables Grown in Indoor Cultivation System

The development of various types of plant factories is central to improving agriculture. In one form, it is expanding from the existing commercial plant factories to home cultivation systems or cultivators. The plant cultivation system grafted into the living space for people produces differences in the growth of the plant depending on the lifestyle (cooling and heating, residence time, number of residents, etc.) of the resident. In this study, identical home cultivation systems that automatically adjust environmental conditions (temperature, photoperiod, light, and nutrient solution supply) other than the carbon dioxide level were set in an office and warehouse. The study confirmed how plant growth can differ depending on the amount of carbon dioxide generated by humans occupying the space. In addition, it was confirmed whether the growth of plants can be further promoted depending on the external air exchange speed by a ventilation fan even if the indoor carbon dioxide concentration is the same. Due to the nature of the cultivation system that controls the temperature, the type and speed of the fan were set to minimize heat loss in the cultivator. The airspeed from ventilation fans attached to the indoor cultivation systems of an office and warehouse was adjusted to one of three levels (0.7, 1.0, or 1.3 m·s−1). In this study with two species, Ssamchoo and Romaine, it was confirmed that the office space was significantly advantageous for the growth of Ssamchoo, especially in terms of the fresh weight, root activity, and chlorophyll content. Romaine also had a significantly higher fresh weight when grown in the office. Shoot length, leaf length, and leaf width were longer, and there were more leaves. When comparing the relative yield based on an airspeed of 1.0 m·s−1, the yield increased up to 156.9% more in the office than in the warehouse. The fan airspeed had an important influence on Ssamchoo. The higher the fan airspeed, the greater the yield, root activity, and chlorophyll. However, fan airspeed had no consistent effect on the growth tendencies of Romaine. In conclusion, carbon dioxide produced by humans occupying the space is a significant source of carbon dioxide for plants grown in the home cultivation system, although both the speed of the ventilation fan that can promote growth without heat loss and delayed growth caused by the photorespiration in a carbon dioxide-limited situation require additional experiments.