High quality Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. nothovar) production by using silicate minerals treated nutrient solution.

摘要

Good water quality not only produces good crop yield, but also maintains environmental quality and so with plant, animal and human health. Therefore, protecting the quality of water by using non chemical materials is an emerging issue to be solved. Bakuhan-seki having additional negative charge were found to have the capacity of improving condition of water while emitting important minerals essential to life. Because of high cost and scarcity of Bakuhan-seki, experiments continued to find out low cost materials. In this study, a very timely and relevant and cost-efficient procedure has been described for determining the potential of 3 minerals of Shikoku Island to improve water quality affecting the growth of plants. Firstly, tap water of Kochi, Japan, was treated with different mixtures of silicate minerals and then applied for the germination of Komatsuna (Brassica rapa nothovar [Brassica campestris]) seeds. The feasibility of these treatments was investigated by measuring root and shoot length of early seedlings. Treatment with Q4S1 showed the highest elongation of seedling parameters compared to other treatments, whereas results of growth tests using Komatsuna in the nutrient film technique system, showed the degree of leaf freshness and dry matter contents were higher than the controls. Also, the amount of potassium and magnesium was higher in applying silicate mineral-treated nutrient solution to Komatsuna plants. Therefore, this nutrient solution treatment system can be expected to be applicable in nutrient culture and hydroponics.