Hydromulching material comprising Kurapia and hydromulching method

Abstract

A hydromulching material includes a mixture of: Kurapia cut seedlings prepared by cutting Kurapia stem into pieces each on the order of averagely 4 cm in length; seeds of sterile annual plant; and soil dressing.

Claims

1. A hydromulching material comprising a mixture of: Kurapia cut seedlings prepared by cutting Kurapia stem into pieces each on the order of averagely 4 cm in length; seeds of sterile annual plant; and soil dressing.

2. The hydromulching material according to claim 1, wherein the sterile annual plant includes an intermediate ryegrass variety or an annual ryegrass variety.

3. The hydromulching material according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the seeds of the sterile annual plant in the mixture is in a range from 15 to 30 g per a unit spray area of 1 m.sup.2.

4. The hydromulching material according to claim 2, wherein an amount of the seeds of the sterile annual plant in the mixture is in a range from 15 to 30 g per a unit spray area of 1 m.sup.2.

5. A hydromulching method comprising the step of: spraying the hydromulching material according to claim 1 over a target position through the use of a soil-dressing spray apparatus.

6. A hydromulching method comprising the step of: spraying the hydromulching material according to claim 2 over a target position through the use of a soil-dressing spray apparatus.

7. A hydromulching method comprising the step of: spraying the hydromulching material according to claim 3 over a target position through the use of a soil-dressing spray apparatus.

8. A hydromulching method comprising the step of: spraying the hydromulching material according to claim 4 over a target position through the use of a soil-dressing spray apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 depicts a graph showing a time-dependent coverage of the ground surface in a work experiment of a conventional Kurapia cut-seedling hydromulching method.

(2) FIG. 2 depicts a graph (1) showing a time-dependent coverage of the ground surface in a work experiment of a hydromulching method through the use of a hydromulching material according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 depicts another graph (2) showing a time-dependent coverage of the ground surface in a work experiment of a hydromulching method through the use of a hydromulching material according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTIONS OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(4) Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be explained.

Examples

(5) (1) Hydromulching Material (Compositions)

(6) A hydromulching material according to the present invention is used for the greening of the ground surface such as a slope.

(7) The hydromulching material according to the present invention includes a mixture prepared by the mixing of: Kurapia cut seedlings; seeds of sterile annual plant; soil dressing; soil-erosion prevention material; adhesive; fertilizer; and the like.

(8) The hydromulching material is sprayed over the ground surface through the use of a conventionally known soil-dressing spray apparatus.

(9) (2) Kurapia

(10) Kurapia is an improved cultivar of Japanese native plant, Phyla nodiflora.

(11) Kurapia grows with its leaves growing thick at a growth rate approximately 10 times faster than that of turf. Kurapia has a weed-suppression function of suppressing weed growth in such a manner that the ground surface is covered densely with Kurapia, thereby forming a green area on the ground surface to prevent weed seeds from rooting to the ground surface. As a result, the number of works to get rid of weeds and the expense in time and effort to get rid of weeds for each work decrease, so that the costs required for the greening and the costs for the maintenance and management could be reduced.

(12) Further, Kurapia is a perennial plant, and therefore, the green area formed by the covering of the ground surface with Kurapia as the perennial plant could be maintained on and after the second year.

(13) Kurapia stem is cut into pieces each of which is on the order of averagely 4 cm in length, and Kurapia cut seedlings thus obtained are used for spraying.

(14) Kurapia stem could be cut by a cutting method disclosed in Patent Document 1 as described above; however, the cutting method should not be limited thereto, and any conventionally known methods may be applied.

(15) (2.1) Growth of Kurapia

(16) Kurapia starts growing at an environmental temperature of higher than or equal to 15° C. When Kurapia is sprayed over the ground surface within the Kanto plains in March, it starts growing in early May where an environmental temperature reaches or exceeds 15° C., and then, the ground surface is covered with the grown Kurapia in about June to September.

(17) (3) Sterile Annual Plant

(18) Sterile annual plants are annual plants having sterility.

(19) An intermediate ryegrass variety or an annual ryegrass variety are preferable for the variety of the sterile annual plant.

(20) The sterile annual plant is sprayed in the form of seeds.

(21) (3.1) Growth of Sterile Annual Plant

(22) When the sterile annual plant is sprayed within the Kanto plains in March, the ground surface is covered with the plant early within a period of time as short as 1 month, and thereafter, the plant withers in the summer.

(23) Further, the sterile annual plant does not bud and grow on and after the second year because of its sterility.

(24) (4) Combination of Kurapia and Sterile Annual Plant

(25) The Kurapia cut seedlings and the seeds of the sterile annual plant are mixed, and a resultant mixture is sprayed, so that the greening develops as follows:

(26) (a) When the mixture is sprayed over the ground surface within the Kanto plains in March, the ground surface is covered with the sterile annual plant within a period of time on the order of 1 month, earlier than the covering with Kurapia, thereby forming a green area on the ground surface so as to prevent weed seeds from rooting to the ground surface, suppress weeds grown on the ground surface, prevent soil erosion of the ground surface, and suppress dust clouds raised from the ground surface.
(b) The green area formed by the covering of the ground surface with the sterile annual plant is maintained until late June. In July, the sterile annual plant starts withering, the ground surface is gradually covered with Kurapia as it grows. In about August, the ground surface is so covered with Kurapia that a green area is formed thereon. On and after August, the ground surface is so covered with Kurapia as to suppress weeds grown thereon, prevent soil erosion thereof, and suppress dust clouds raised therefrom.
(c) In the winter, Kurapia seasonally goes dormant; however, on and after the second year, the green area formed by the covering with Kurapia as a perennial plant is maintained, and as a result, permanent suppression of weeds, prevention of soil erosion, and the like could be achieved. Sterile annual plants do not bud and grow on and after the second year.

(27) (5) Mixing

(28) The Kurapia cut seedlings and the seeds of the sterile annual plant are introduced into a mixer.

(29) In addition to the Kurapia cut seedlings and the seeds of the sterile annual plant, soil dressing, soil-erosion prevention material, adhesive, fertilizer, and the like as well as water are introduced together into the mixer, and the introduced materials are mixed by the mixer, and as a result, a slurry mixture is formed in the mixer.

(30) (5.1) Materials for Mixing with Kurapia/Sterile Annual Plant

(31) Materials to be mixed with the Kurapia cut seedlings and the seeds of the sterile annual plant by the mixer are in the followings:

(32) The soil-erosion prevention material includes, e.g., the trade name “Kuricoat (Registered Trademark) C-710”, composed mainly of a synthetic resin emulsion.

(33) The adhesive includes, e.g., the trade name “Kuricoat (Registered Trademark) C-402”, composed mainly of water-soluble synthetic polymer.

(34) The fertilizer includes high analysis compound fertilizer composed mainly of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium, at each ratio of 15%.

(35) (5.2) Mixing Amount

(36) The mixing amount per spray area of each of the above materials is preferably in the followings as shown in TABLE 1.

(37) The reason for mixing a large amount of the soil dressing in comparison with those of other materials, is to avoid damage to the Kurapia cut seedlings upon spraying. The soil dressing is preferably mixed in an amount at least 10 times greater than that of the Kurapia cut seedlings.

(38) With such ratios, the soil dressing in the slurry mixture could serve as a buffer or cushion to reduce the spray pressure upon spraying so as to avoid damage to the Kurapia cut seedlings.

(39) It is to be noted that an amount of the water is appropriately adjusted by a worker through the use of approximately half an amount of the soil dressing as a measure in accordance with a water content in the soil dressing.

(40) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Spray Soil Soil-erosion Sterile annual material Kurapia dressing prevention material Adhesive Fertilizer plant seeds (unit) (g/m.sup.2) (l/m.sup.2) (g/m.sup.2) (g/m.sup.2) (g/m.sup.2) (g/m.sup.2) Quantity 96 12 24 0.6 60 15-30

(41) (6) Hydromulching Method

(42) The slurry mixture obtained by the mixing is sprayed over a target position, through the use of the soil-dressing spray apparatus in the following steps:

(43) (i) A work area to be subjected to a single spraying of the soil-dressing spray apparatus is clearly specified, in advance, with a marker and the like on the ground surface to be sprayed over.

(44) (ii) Amounts of materials to be applied for the work area to be subjected to the single spraying are weighed in their respective predetermined ratios.

(45) (iii) All the weighed amounts of spraying materials are introduced into a tank of the soil-dressing spray apparatus, and the introduced materials are stirred in such a manner that the materials are uniformly mixed.

(46) (iv) Spraying of the resultant material is performed through the use of the soil-dressing spray apparatus.

(47) (7) Work Experiment

(48) A work experiment was performed for the above-described embodiments according to present invention in the followings.

(49) Work date: 26 Mar. 2015

(50) Work site: Yokohama city, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan

(51) TABLE-US-00002 Reference Experimental Experimental data data 1 data 2 Kurapia cut seedlings (g/cm.sup.2) 96 96 96 Sterile annual plant seeds 0 15 30 (g/cm.sup.2) Weeding • Mowing 2 times 2 times 2 times

(52) FIGS. 1-3 each shows a time-dependent coverage of the ground surface, i.e., the coverage of the ground surface as a function of period of time, in each work experiment for reference data, experimental data 1, and experimental data 2.

(53) Reference data (FIG. 1) includes a result of performing a hydromulching method, as a conventional technique, through the use of Kurapia cut seedlings.

(54) The coverage in May 2015 is 25% with Kurapia, and 20% with weeds. Such a coverage with weeds, 20%, is set to be a reference value for performing the weeding in the conventional method. After having performed weeding once, the coverage with Kurapia reaches the reference value as a measure for the greening, i.e., 75%-coverage (Japan Road Association, Road earthwork cutting-slope stabilization work guidelines (the 2009 edition) p. 258), in mid-June 2015.

(55) Experimental data 1 (FIG. 2) is a result of performing an example of work according to the present invention (Kurapia cut seedlings: 96 g/m.sup.2; seeds of sterile annual plants: 15 g/m.sup.2; and sterile annual plants subjected 2 times of mowing).

(56) The coverage with the sterile annual plants reaches the coverage, 75%, in early May. Such a coverage, 75%, is achieved with the sterile annual plants at least 1 month earlier than the same coverage is achieved with Kurapia cut seedlings alone in mid-June as shown in FIG. 1. Further, the coverage with the sterile annual plants reaches 100% in late May.

(57) Subsequently, in order to promote switching from the sterile annual plants to perennial Kurapia, the sterile annual plants are mown 2 times, in late May and in late June, respectively. After having performed 2 times of mowing, the sterile annual plants decline as increase in environmental temperature, and instead Kurapia increases in coverage such that the coverage reaches 75% in early September, and is maintained at almost 90% on and after late September. Almost no weed occurs within a time window from the beginning of the experiment, March 2015, to June 2016.

(58) Experimental data 2 (FIG. 3) is a result of performing another example of work according to the present invention (Kurapia cut seedlings: 96 g/m.sup.2; seeds of sterile annual plants 30 g/m.sup.2; sterile annual plants subjected to 2 times of mowing).

(59) The coverage with the sterile annual plants reaches the coverage, 75%, in late April, and reaches 100% in late May.

(60) Subsequently, mowing is performed 2 times, in late May and in late June, respectively.

(61) And thereafter, the sterile annual plants decline, and instead Kurapia increases in coverage such that the coverage reaches 75% in late August. Weeds are suppressed from the beginning of the experiment, March 2015, to June 2016 to such an extent that the coverage with weeds is suppressed at most 10%.

(62) In view of the above experimental results, the followings could be found:

(63) (a) According to an example of the present invention by which seeds of sterile annual plants and Kurapia cut seedlings are mixed together to be sprayed, the ground surface is covered with the sterile annual plants at least 1 month earlier than the coverage with Kurapia as a result of being applied with a conventional technique. In such a conventional technique, “Kurapia cut-seedling hydromulching method,” the ground surface is covered with Kurapia cut seedlings alone. Soil erosion of the ground surface and dust clouds raised from the ground surface could, therefore, be reduced.
(b) When the conventional technique, “Kurapia cut-seedling hydromulching method,” is applied, there is a need to get rid of weeds whose coverage reaches 20% in May. On the other hand, according to an example of the present invention, the coverage with weeds is suppressed at lower during a period of time including May. There is a need for the sterile annual plants to be subjected to mowing without any need at all for weeds to be subjected to weeding. There are better advantageous effects achieved by an example of the present invention, in reducing weeds grown on the ground surface and expense in time and effort to get rid of weeds from the ground surface, in comparison with a conventional technique.